Community & Nonprofit

Ten years ago, on February 26th, a young Black man—17-year-old Trayvon Martin—was fatally shot in Sanford, Florida while innocently walking back to his dad’s girlfriend’s home. During that walk, he was spotted by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer. Zimmerman believed Martin was acting suspiciously. The two got into an altercation and Trayvon—who was unarmed—was killed. He was 17. (Zimmerman was eventually acquitted of second-degree murder in 2013.) It was a shot heard around the world—sparking the Black Lives Matter movement and igniting a new era in civil rights that continues to grow today. 

Many of our speakers attribute their opportunities, successes and passion for change to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Founded during the height of the American Civil Rights Movement in 1965, APB is honored to have worked with Dr. King during his lifetime, as well as many other civil rights leaders who shared his vision. Devoted to spreading positive messages about love and equality, our speakers continue to honor Dr. King's legacy. Read their reflections below.

With the recent outbreak of tornadoes and severe storms, many Midwestern and Southern cities are facing a grim reality—loss of life and homes and businesses flattened. Soon, utilities will be repaired, debris will be collected and taken away and leadership will have to ask the question, “Now what?” Can the residents of these decimated areas deal with the emotional burden? Is it possible for these communities to physically rebuild in a new or smarter way? For former Mayor of Oklahoma City Mick Cornett, the answer is “absolutely yes” because he’s seen his own city rebound from several disasters. 

It's hard to believe we find ourselves kicking off another year. Many of our clients align their speaker needs with important dates throughout the year and have found it helpful to have a listing of such commemorative occurrences. Below please find some of the dates for which speakers get booked the most. It's never too early to begin your event planning and our experienced and talented agents are ready to offer speaker recommendations to fit your needs. Working on something last minute? We can help with that too, as several of our speakers are available to do virtual events.

With deep sadness and great respect, we mourn the passing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu who has been a member of the APB family for decades. An iconic Nobel Laureate and human rights activist, Archbishop Tutu was known for tirelessly spreading peace, justice and democracy. A world leader and beacon of hope for all, he was once described by longtime friend Nelson Mandela as “Sometimes strident, often tender, never afraid and seldom without humor.” APB will forever feel grateful for having known and worked with such an incredible human being.

It's hard to believe we are coming to the close of yet another year battling the COVID-19 pandemic. We've never been more grateful to have clients and speakers who have continued to collaborate with us through the chaos of it all. From virtual to in-person events, together we found new ways to continue to do what we love best: provide a way for people to see exciting personalities, world leaders, activists and innovators, unedited and unfiltered by mass media.

We look forward to working with you in 2022.

Sometimes just one small action can change a life. For APB speaker Mickey Rowe, Founder and Artistic Director of National Disability Theatre, it began when he was introduced to Seattle Children’s Theatre by his grandmother. Rowe, who is autistic and legally blind, was told that he could never enter the mainstream world. Acting changed all of that. In his new autobiography, Fearlessly Different: An Autistic Actor's Journey to Broadway's Biggest Stage, which was just called “immensely inspiring” by Publishers Weekly and will be available in March, Rowe tells the story of how he made it to The Great White Way.  

If you could only use one word to describe Elle Simone Scott, it would be warrior. The executive editor and founder of The Diversity Council at America’s Test Kitchen has navigated a career and life full of extreme highs and lows. From battling ovarian cancer to losing everything in the height of the 2008 recession, she fought to reinvent herself career-wise and is now one of the few queer women of color to work as a chef in the culinary world. APB recently sat down with Elle to discuss the intersection of food, culture and DEI in both our workplaces and communities (she even shared a free copy of her favorite Thanksgiving recipe, you can download it below!).

A breakout star of FX’s Golden Globe-nominated series, Pose, Ryan Jamaal Swain is a triple-threat actor, dancer, and singer who was named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list for his LGBTQIA+ activism. Recently, APB sat down with Ryan to discuss his coming out experience and what Pride means to him.

An article by APB speaker Jennifer Senior in The Atlantic magazine has gone viral. “What Bobby McIlvaine Left Behind” was published in the September issue. It tells the story of a victim of Sept. 11 and his family’s search for meaning in the two decades since the day the towers fell. Senior’s brother lived with McIlvaine at the time of the attack. The story is getting more engagement than any piece in the magazine since 2002.