Pop Culture / Lighter Side Speakers

Aaron McGruder

Creator of "The Boondocks" comic strip and animated series, McGruder is a young, fresh, and outspoken political satirist who dispenses social commentary with subversive humor. In his insightful presentation, "Negrology, the State of Black America," he demystifies all aspects of the truth about where African Americans are ...

John McPherson

John McPherson is the cartoonist and writer behind the renowned comic panel Close to Home. McPherson has published more than 20 book collections of his work, yearly block calendars, and an award-winning line of greeting cards. He also created his own line of clothing and various other licensed products.

The Stars of Dancing With the Stars

Dancing with the Stars is an exciting new program where you can join actual performers from the hit show Dancing with the Stars in an energizing and interactive performance.

Talib Kweli

Few hip-hop artists have made as profound an impact in as short a time as Talib Kweli. In recent years, Kweli has played a major part in bringing a sense of spirituality, social conscience, and moral balance back to hip-hop.

Kevin Roose

Roose is author of The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner’s Semester at America’s Holiest University.During his sophomore year at Brown University, Roose met a group of students from the late Reverend Jerry Falwell’s “Bible Boot Camp” for young evangelicals. Inspired by that meeting, he decided to learn about ...

Ken Jennings

The master Jeopardy! player, Jennings has surpassed all records., establishing himself as the All-Time Top TV Game Show Winner in the world.

Michael A. Davis

Journalist Michael Davis was a senior editor and “Family Page” columnist for TV Guide, coordinating, editing and writing major feature and cover projects for America’s largest circulating weekly.

DJ Drama

Ask any southern rap fan to name the most prominent DJ in his region right now, and they will say, “DJ Drama.” Named by Rolling Stone Magazine as number one DJ in the Hip-Hop universe, his hits are certified platinum before hitting the stands. The Atlanta-based mix tape messiah brought this street music to the ...

Giles Li

A firm believer in poetry as politics, his writing approaches serious topics from an emotional point of view. He draws inspiration from a wide range of influences, including Pablo Neruda, Stevie Wonder, Martìn Espada, Nellie Wong and De La Soul. He has performed all over the country at coffee shops, college campuses, and ...

Tariq Nasheed

Tariq Nasheed’s honest and humorous dating advice has redefined the “game” of love, empowering both men and women to relate to one another and improve their relationships. From high school dropout to acclaimed author and actor, Nasheed’s fresh take on playing the game has revitalized the language of love in ...

Jesse Dylan

Jesse Dylan isn't the first director to make the jump from music videos to feature films, but he's certainly one of the most creative and successful. His recent project with will.i.am for Barack Obama led to the video/speech, "Yes We Can." The viral sensation has since been seen by tens of millions and won an Emmy Award.

Drum Cafe

The Drum Café is a unique and exciting way to get your employee involved and energized. It transforms a company, division or work team into a drumming orchestra teaching participants to listen to one another and to make music together. The non-verbal communication of drumming provides a powerful, unifying message, which ...

Jonathan Wendel aka Fatal1ty

He is a professional gaming champion who has won approximately $500,000 in cash and prizes from professional competitions, mainly in the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL). In addition to receiving numerous product endorsements, he has been featured in mainstream newsprint publications, including Time, The New York ...

Ted Rall

The man called “the most controversial cartoonist in America,” Ted Rall, appears in more than 100 newspapers throughout the United States. A liberal through and through, his comics have led to Rall being called "treasonous," "anti-American," and 2003's "most annoying liberal" by conservatives. Rall speaks on ...

Parry Shen

Since Parry Shen's breakout performance in Paramount Pictures/MTV Films' Better Luck Tomorrow – the first studio film to feature an all Asian American cast – he has continued to showcase his acting versatility in major theatrical releases. As a keynote speaker, Shen brings his unique experience as an actor and ...

Elvis Mitchell

Film Critic / Documentary Producer

SARGE

SARGE is an entertainer and musical savant who has performed worldwide to adoring audiences. His sidesplitting comedy, touching vocals and stunning display of dexterity as a pianist have amazed crowds for decades. However, his road to success has not been smoothly paved.

Lisa Cortes

Executive Producer of the Oscar-nominated Precious, Cortes worked for over a decade to bring this brilliant story to the silver screen. Passionate about revealing expressive voices and important stories to a worldwide audience, her credits as a producer include The Woodsman and the Academy Award-winning ...