Porter Braswell
Executive Chairman and co-founder of Jopwell and author of Let Them See You
Donovan Livingston
Educator, poet, and author of Lift Off
Donovan Livingston’s Harvard Graduate School of Education Convocation Address
Photo credit: Lauren Cowart
In 2016, Donovan Livingston delivered a convocation speech to the Harvard Graduate School of Education that went viral and received national acclaim. His spoken word address was at once a pointed examination of the American education system and an inspirational call for reform. A passionate speaker, Livingston encourages students, educators, and communities to realize their potential to change the shape of education, and to "lift off."
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About Donovan Livingston
Donovan Livingston is an award-winning educator, spoken word poet, and public speaker. In 2016, his Harvard Graduate School of Education convocation address “Lift Off” went viral, reaching over thirteen million views and prompting Hillary Clinton to praise, “It’s young graduates like [Livingston] who make it clear that America’s best days are still ahead.” Since his pivotal speech, Livingston has been featured on CNN, NPR, BBC, Good Morning America, and in news outlets across Europe, Australia, India, and South Africa. His convocation address was published as a book by Spiegel & Grau in 2017.
A believer in the enormous opportunities that education provides, Donovan Livingston inspires students, educators, and communities with his conviction that every child has the right to “lift off” and achieve their dreams. Drawing on personal experiences as well as scholarship, Livingston examines the role of culture, hip-hop and spoken word poetry in student experiences in higher and postsecondary education. More specifically, Dr. Livingston is interested in understanding how poetics – rooted in Black lyrical and oral traditions – serve as a catalyst for student success and systemic change in colleges and universities. Livingston’s areas of expertise include educational leadership, critical hip-hop pedagogy, and hip-hop-based qualitative research methodologies. In his role at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dr. Livingston manages the design, implementation, and evaluation of the university’s new general education course requirement for all first-year students. With a dual appointment in the Department of Music, Dr. Livingston also teaches courses on hip-hop history, culture, and composition.
Dr. Livingston has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, master’s degrees from Columbia University and Harvard University, and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Educational Leadership & Cultural Foundations. Currently, he serves as Teaching Assistant Professor and Director of College Thriving at UNC Chapel Hill.
Contact us for more information about booking Donovan Livingston for your next event.
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Speaking Topics
Lift Off
In this student-focused talk, Livingston helps young people of all ages to recognize their potential as agents of change and to realize the power of their own voices in achieving their dreams.
Inspiring Galaxies of Greatness
In this stirring lecture, Livingston confronts the issues facing America’s education system today and motivates educators and communities to instigate change. Citing both personal anecdotes and pedagogical research, he encourages audiences to focus on creativity and innovation in the classroom rather than systemic markers of success. Livingston touches on subjects such as the Common Core, standardized testing, and school tracking, while also looking at the repercussions of policies such as the No Child Left Behind act and the DREAM act.
Equal Opportunities in American Schools
Addressing important topics like college access, district zoning, and diversity and inclusion pedagogy, Livingston challenges protocols and practices that have sustained systemic inequality. In this candid lecture, Livingston discusses the lasting impact of past segregation on America's schools from both a personal and scholarly perspective, and offers his insights on how we can overcome this legacy.
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Praise for Donovan Livingston
[Donovan} touched each and every person he interacted with positivity, light, and love. Having them here exceeded my expectations in every way possible. Not only is he an absolutely killer speaker, but he is fun to be around, too.
— Hillsboro Public LibraryDonovan Livingston was incredibly engaging and relatable to the students. Beyond being a talented poet he is a kind and giving educator who took his time to speak individually with every student who attended our event. He is passionate about education and connecting to youth in meaningful and relevant ways.
— YouthArtEduLabDonovan was AMAZING! We all fell in love with him and his work – such a generous and kind soul and his remarks were inspiring and challenging (in a very good way). I have received nothing but enthusiastic feedback. Please convey to Donovan that we are forever grateful and look forward to watching the rise of his star.
— Western Carolina UniversityPraise for Lift Off
Donovan Livingston’s Lift Off is our youth’s gift to us. In this joyous young man’s voice is the promise of tomorrow.
— James McBrideDonovan Livingston gave a powerful speech at the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s convocation. In a spoken-word poem, he shared his struggles in life and urged his fellow graduates to fight inequality and inspire students. . . . [Donovan is] part of a rising generation that’s . . . standing up to some of the biggest challenges in the world today.
— Hillary Clinton -
Books by Donovan Livingston
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Media About Donovan Livingston
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and Availability
- 212 572-2013
- Donovan Livingston travels from Winston-Salem, NC
Featured Title
Lift Off
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