Violence Speakers

Lonise Bias

Mother of college basketball star Len Bias, who died of a cocaine overdose, and James Bias, who was murdered in a drive-by shooting, Dr. Bias aims to save a generation from self-destruction by fighting violence and drugs.

Michael Patrick MacDonald

Author of the incendiary New York Times bestselling memoir All Souls: A Family Story from Southie, and the companion bestseller Easter Rising: A Memoir of Roots and Rebellion, MacDonald shares his remarkable story of survival and redemption while examining the tangled relationship between poverty and ...

Victor Rivas Rivers

Born in Cuba, Rivers came to the US at the age of two, endured horrific child abuse and witnessed domestic violence at the hands of his father, which he chronicles in his New York Times bestseller, A Private Family Matter. An actor, athlete, and advocate, Rivers is the national spokesperson for the National ...

Alvin Poussaint

A veteran of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Poussaint is a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School who is renowned as an expert and educated crusader for the African American family within our multicultural society. He has worked closely with Bill Cosby, serving as an advisor on The Cosby Show, and has ...

Kevin Powell

As a talented political activist, poet, journalist, essayist, hip-hop historian, public speaker, and entrepreneur, Powell is widely considered one of America's most important voices in these early years of the 21st Century. An astute and enlightening observer, he comments on race, gender, class, and American pop culture ...

Robin Karr-Morse

Co-author of Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence, Karr-Morse presents compelling evidence that violent behavior in children is linked to abuse and neglect that occurs in the first three years of life. As director of The Parenting Institute, she works to provide parents with developmental knowledge ...

Geoffrey Canada

Profiled on 60 Minutes, Canada has achieved great success as President and CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone, an agency that fuses community building with academic achievement to improve the futures of inner city youth. Recently, President Obama launched an initiative to create “Promise Neighborhoods” around ...

Judge Glenda Hatchett

Judge Hatchett is the former Chief Presiding Judge of the Fulton County Juvenile Court in Atlanta. Her highly successful court television series, Judge Hatchett, provides a forum where she can reach beyond her courtroom to a larger and more diverse audience. She is the author of Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say! ...

James Gilligan

Psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, author of Violence: Reflections on a National Epidemic, known for his insight into the psychology of crime and punishment and the prevention of violent behavior, Dr. Gilligan speaks on issues surrounding mental health, violence and other societal issues.

Chris Hansen

Currently a veteran correspondent for NBC News' ,Dateline NBC, he has won Emmy Awards for his dramatic coverage and breakthrough investigative reporting on issues ranging from terrorism, homeland security, social crisis, to international strife.

Deborah Prothrow-Stith

Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith is a nationally recognized public health leader. As a physician working in inner-city Boston, she broke new ground with her efforts to have youth violence defined as a public health problem, not just a criminal justice issue. Her passion for prevention was not satisfied with the emergency room ...

Rachel Simmons

Simmons is the author of The New York Times bestseller Odd Girl Out, the first book to explore the phenomenon of bullying between girls - just as harmful as boys, but harder to recognize. The Founder and Director of The Girls’ Leadership Institute, she is a highly sought-after consultant to schools all over ...

Liz Seccuro

A wife, mother, and victims’ rights activist, she is one of the first rape victims to share her story with the country when it came to light when she brought one of her rapists to justice after a long and circuitous journey.

Lou Gossett Jr.

As one of the most sought after veteran actors, Oscar winner Gossett has reached the heights of success. His unique talent for portraying powerful and charismatic characters has charmed audiences worldwide. As Founder of the Eracism Foundation, he is dedicated to fighting racism, ignorance, and social apathy.

Eli Newberger

Dr. Newberger, a leading figure in the movement to improve the protection and care of children, is renowned for his ability to bring together good sense and science on the main issues of family life. A pediatrician and author of many influential works on child abuse, he teaches at Harvard Medical School and founded the ...

James Garbarino

Dr. James Garbarino holds the Maude C. Clarke Chair in Humanistic Psychology and was founding Director of the Center for the Human Rights of Children at Loyola University Chicago. An expert on youth violence and bullying, Dr. Garbarino has served as consultant or advisor to a wide range of organizations, including the ...

Jack Levin

Director of the Program for the Study of Violence and Conflict at Northeastern University. Author of "Killer on Campus". An authority on school crime and violence, Dr. Levin offers strategies and solutions for keeping students safe.

William Pollack

Author of the bestseller, Real Boys, Dr. Pollack brings innovative insight to both workplace and family relationships. An expert in motivating professionals by understanding the hidden psychology behind outward behavior, Pollack addresses the real problems behind power struggles on the job, generating genuine ...

Robin Givens

A successful actress and former wife of Mike Tyson, Givens has been through a lot. She now speaks out about her life and the abuse she suffered - urging men, women, and the African American community to educate them about domestic violence. By getting help, she says, we can address the stigma and overcome it, helping end ...

Judge Greg Mathis

In 1995, Judge Greg Mathis was elected one of the youngest Judges in America. His election became a national success story and a symbol of hope for urban youth who are struggling to overcome the modern-day pressures and hardships of poverty, drugs and violence. He is currently a television judge with his own nationally ...