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JJ Velazquez & Dan Slepian

JJ Velazquez & Dan Slepian

Award-Winning Investigative Journalist at NBC News & Criminal Legal Reform Activist

JJ Velazquez & Dan Slepian

Award-Winning Investigative Journalist at NBC News & Criminal Legal Reform Activist

Biography

Dan Slepian & Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez can be booked together or separately for speaking engagements. The Sing Sing Files: One Journalist, Six Innocent Men, and a Twenty-Year Fight for Justice follows Dan Slepian on years of prison visits, court hearings and street reporting that led to a series of powerful Dateline episodes and eventually to freedom for four other men and to an especially deep and lasting friendship with JJ. From his cell in Sing Sing, JJ aided Slepian in his investigations until his own release in 2021 after decades in prison.

About Dan Slepian

Dan Slepian is a distinguished, award-winning investigative journalist at NBC News, a leading authority on the criminal justice system, and a seasoned public speaker. For nearly three decades at NBC’s Dateline, Dan has spearheaded dozens of documentaries and hidden camera investigations, earning a reputation for his pivotal work regarding wrongful convictions and mass incarceration. His podcast, Letters from Sing Sing, was a 2024 Pulitzer Prize finalist and debuted at #1 on Apple’s top charts.

Dan’s deep knowledge about the criminal legal system is seen in nearly all of his work, from conducting a TEDx talk at Sing Sing to conceiving and producing groundbreaking televised events, including the first ever town hall from inside a maximum-security prison, where he and anchor Lester Holt brought the voices of the incarcerated to a national audience.

Known for his tenacious, relentless pursuit of truth and his empathetic storytelling, Dan is a respected figure in both journalism and the fight against injustice.

In addition to being a Pulitzer Prize finalist, Dan Slepian has received more than a dozen Emmy nominations, four Edward R. Murrow awards, a Sigma Delta Chi, and has been honored by multiple justice organizations across the country.

His new book, The Sing Sing Files, chronicles his 20-year journey to exonerate six wrongfully convicted men. It was named one of Amazon’s Best Books of the Year and was nominated for a 2024 Goodreads Choice Award for Readers' Favorite Nonfiction. The audio version was recently nominated as a 2025 Audie Award Finalist as the Audiobook of the Year by the Audio Publishers Association and one of Audible’s Best of the Year.

In a time when societal shifts are mandating us to reexamine our commitments to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Dan proudly offers a transformative educational experience that focuses on fostering understanding, building bridges and discussing pathways to reform.

About Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez

Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez’s career as a criminal legal reform activist began in 1998 when he was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer. He spent almost 24 years in New York State’s maximum security prisons assisting, educating and mentoring incarcerated people and their families.

While incarcerated, he earned two degrees in behavioral science and became a certified paralegal. He was considered a “one-man innocent project,“ helping other wrongfully convicted individuals obtain freedom. JJ was an elected liaison between the prison population and administration while working to help others obtain their college degrees in his capacity as a program assistant at Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison. As a leading light at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, he organized a delegation of leaders and implemented several positive programs, including CHOICES, which has served hundreds of children impacted by crime and incarceration.

JJ specializes in storytelling, which stems from his passion to turn trauma into triumph and inspires others to convert obstacles into opportunities. He moderates panels, facilitates workshops and gives talks designed to educate, motivate and incite meaningful change. JJ’s messages are heartfelt and filled with empathy.

He provides media platforms with valuable context and rare insight. These insights are fueled by personal experiences that helped him accumulate a deep and diverse knowledge base of criminogenic behavior, mass incarceration and wrongful convictions. Decades of unjust imprisonment have led to valuable lessons about life, humanity and survival.

JJ now serves his community locally as the Co-founder and Executive Director of Voices from Within based in New York, and nationally as the Program Director at the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice. 

Speaker Videos

Dan Slepian and JJ Velazquez describe 20-year effort to free Velazquez from wrongful conviction

Incarcerated man’s decades-long journey to freedom chronicled in NBC News podcast

Joe Biden and JJ Velazquez Discuss Criminal Legal Reform

The C.H.O.I.C.E.S Connection | Jon-Adrian Velazquez | TEDxSingSing

Voices from within | Dan Slepian | TEDxSingSing

Speech Topics

The Sing Sing Files: Exposing the Injustice of Wrongful Convictions

Take a deep dive into the harrowing stories of six innocent men who were wrongfully convicted and spent decades behind bars with Dan Slepian, a veteran Dateline producer, and JJ Velazquez, a criminal legal reform activist who was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer. In this powerful and profound talk, Dan and JJ explore the systemic failures of the criminal legal system, the relentless pursuit of truth and the difficulty in achieving justice. The personal anecdotes of these men add a profound human element to the discussion. This session or workshop is supported by compelling multimedia content, including video, which makes the experience even more engaging and impactful. In a landscape where these issues are more relevant than ever, Dan and JJ's perspectives offers a timely and transformative experience.

WHY THIS PROGRAM IS ESSENTIAL:

  • Promotes understanding and continued learning: Perfect for organizations seeking to bolster their inclusionary efforts in meaningful ways.
  • Educational and Inspiring: Provides valuable learning opportunities that encourage critical thinking and empathy.
  • Adaptable and Relevant: Suitable for a wide range of audiences, from corporate settings to academic environments and beyond.

Building Bridges in Unlikely Places: A Friendship Forged Through Adversity

Get ready to be inspired and reminded that hope and compassion still thrive in this powerful talk by Dan Slepian, veteran producer of Dateline, and JJ Velazquez, a criminal legal reform activist who was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer. In this keynote, Dan and JJ discuss their extraordinary friendship and how it challenged Dan’s perceptions and ignited a lifelong mission to fight for justice. The pair’s bond evolved over two decades, leading Dan to several other innocent men he told stories about. It’s a narrative about building trust, understanding and a lasting friendship in the most unlikely of places—inside the walls of prison.

Investigative Journalism: The Power of Persistence & Truth

Get a behind-the-scenes look at how investigative journalism can bring justice to light with Dan Slepian, a longtime Dateline producer, and JJ Velazquez, a criminal legal reform activist who was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer. Using real-life examples from Dan’s 20-year journey, they share the challenges, triumphs and ethical dilemmas faced while uncovering wrongful convictions.

Through the Prism of Wrongful Convictions: Perversity & Pathology of Mass Incarceration

What if the system designed to protect us is failing? By examining the epidemic of wrongful convictions, Dan Slepian, a veteran Dateline producer, and JJ Velazquez, a criminal legal reform activist who was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer, delve into the broader issues of mass incarceration. This talk reveals the systemic perversities and deep-rooted pathologies that have led to the United States’ current crisis of incarceration.

The Human Cost of Injustice: A Journalist’s Journey Through the American Prison System

In this compelling presentation, Dan Slepian, longtime Dateline producer, and JJ Velazquez, a criminal legal reform activist who was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer, highlight the profound human impact of wrongful convictions on the incarcerated, their families and society—revealing the untold stories of those trapped in a system that often fails them. Dan and JJ uncover not just the stark realities of incarceration but also the emotional and psychological toll and share the stories of resilience and hope that emerge.

Justice for All: How We Can Reform the Criminal Justice System

Focused on actionable insights and reforms, this talk by Dan Slepian, a veteran Dateline producer, and JJ Velazquez, a criminal legal reform activist who was wrongfully convicted as the shooter in the murder of a retired police officer, address the critical need for changes within the criminal justice system. Drawing from decades of experience and specific anecdotes, Dan and JJ provide a roadmap for how society can better ensure justice for all. You’ll leave empowered to help shape a future where justice truly serves everyone, regardless of background or circumstance.

Testimonials