Social Justice Speakers

These author speakers challenge the status quo, fight for civil rights, and seek to transform the criminal justice system. Their talks reveal pathways to change and compelling visions for the future.

Ta-Nehisi Coates

#1 New York Times bestselling author of Between the World and Me and The Message

Eric Holder

Former U.S. attorney general and esteemed civil rights leader

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi

National Book Award-winning historian and #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Stamped from the Beginning and How to Be an Antiracist

More Social Justice Speakers

Adam Benforado

New York Times bestselling author of A Minor Revolution and Unfair

Rosa Brooks

American law professor and author of Tangled Up in Blue

June Eric-Udorie

Feminist activist, Editor of Can We All Be Feminists? and DEI Programme Manager for Flexa

Dr. Thomas Fisher

Emergency room physician and author of The Emergency: A Year of Healing and Heartbreak in a Chicago ER

Jasmin Graham

Shark Scientist, environmental educator, and President/CEO of Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS)

Hahrie Han

Political scientist, Director of SNF Agora Institute, and leading expert on social movements

Dr. Mona Hanna

Physician, scientist and activist who exposed the Flint water crisis

Dr. Michele Harper

Emergency room physician and author of the New York Times-bestselling The Beauty in Breaking

Prentis Hemphill

Bestselling author, political organizer, founder and director of The Embodiment Institute

Kristin Henning

Professor of Law at Georgetown University and author of The Rage of Innocence

Carlotta Walls LaNier

Youngest of the Little Rock Nine, civil rights advocate, National Women's Hall of Fame inductee

Jill Leovy

Author of the New York Times-bestselling book, Ghettoside

Jason De León

Anthropologist, professor, and author of National Book Award winner Soldiers and Kings

Amanda Lucidon

Obama White House photographer, award-winning filmmaker, and New York Times-bestselling author

Ian Manuel

Advocate for criminal justice reform, poet, and motivational speaker

Sarah McBride

U.S. Representative for the State of Delaware and LGBTQAI+ activist

Chanel Miller

Artist, activist, and author of the New York Times bestseller Know My Name

Leila Mottley

Award-winning author of Oprah’s Book Club selection Nightcrawling and former Youth Poet Laureate of Oakland

Eduardo Porter

Economics reporter at The New York Times and author of American Poison

Carla Power

Journalist and author of Pulitzer Prize finalist If the Oceans Were Ink

Kiley Reid

Author of Come and Get It and instant New York Times-bestseller Such a Fun Age

Shaka Senghor

Author of Letters to the Sons of Society and Writing My Wrongs and leading voice on criminal justice reform

Suzanne Simard

Leader of The Mother Tree Project and author of Finding the Mother Tree

Chris Smalls

Labor organizer and president and co-founder of the Amazon Labor Union

Colson Whitehead

Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author of The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys

Isabel Wilkerson

Pulitzer Prize winner and author of the critically-acclaimed bestsellers The Warmth of Other Suns and Caste

Javier Zamora

Memoirist, poet, and author of Solito, and a winner of the 2023 American Book Award.
Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau