K-12 Education

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.

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.

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!).

Wes Moore, APB speaker, former CEO of Robin Hood and candidate for governor of Maryland, is celebrating schools and educators during this week’s American Education Week by creating a site where you can add your name to thank Maryland teachers, administrators and public school employees for all that they do. Moore comes from a family of educators and is well aware of the transformative work they do in shaping the futures of our children and the betterment of our society as a whole.

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.

We are excited to share that Alma's Way, a new animated PBS KIDS series from Fred Rogers Productions, will premiere next week on October 4th. We are even more excited to exclusively represent the creative genius behind the show, Sesame Street icon and author, Sonia Manzano. Beloved by generations, Manzano broke new ground as one of the first Latino characters on national TV.

For most of us, fall is a magical time of year: cooler temperatures, falling leaves, football and the return of pumpkin lattes. It’s all amazing. But for parents who are becoming empty-nesters, it’s a different story. Sure, they’re happy and proud their kids are leaving for school, but also secretly heartbroken they’re going away—even if it’s for the best. These feelings may not apply to everyone. But for APB speaker and best-selling author Kelly Corrigan, they’re spot on. Corrigan recently penned a guest essay for The New York Times: “How to Let Go of Your Irreplaceable, Unstoppable Daughter.” Like the majority of her fellow empty-nesters, her feelings are a combination of proud and pleased wrapped around sad. 

A trio of APB speakers was recently named to Forbes magazine’s 50 Over 50 List of Women Who Are Leading the Way in Impact list. The three honored are: Melissa Berton, Cofounder and Executive Director of The Pad Project; Susan McPherson, Founder and CEO, McPherson Strategies; and Winona LaDuke, Founder, White Earth Land Recovery Project. According to Forbes, the women are being recognized for changing their communities and the world in ways big and small through social entrepreneurship, law, advocacy and education.