No More Excuses. Event Planners Need to Book More Black People and People of Color to Speak on Stages Around the World.

In the wake of protests across America against police violence and systemic racism, there has been a national call to elevate more Black and brown voices. When it comes to the events industry, event participants around the world (and their followers on Twitter) have been demanding new voices on stage for years now, calling out the speaking circuit for what it often is: a never-ending parade of white men. Despite these calls, the speaking industry remains too white, too male, and not at all representative of the inclusive future that companies (and their conferences and trade associations) claim to be in support of building.

Professional speaking is a $4 billion a year industry, in North America alone, with at least 150,000 events per year. Much of that industry has come to a standstill during COVID-19, with large events having to cancel, postpone, or move online. This industry-wide pause is the moment, long, long overdue, to re-imagine and re-build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive speaking industry. It’s high time we started booking more Black people and people of color, especially more women of color, to speak at companies, conferences, trade associations, and virtual trainings.

Here are a few ways that event planners (and other professional speakers) can ensure more Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) speak at events and conferences around the world. 

1. Hire Black people and people of color to speak about things other than diversity and inclusion.

I always cringe when I see an event line-up and the only speakers of color are speaking about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Yes; DEI issues are more important than ever for companies to address (here’s a list of Black-owned DEI companies and consultants that you should hire, created by Michelle Kim at Awaken), and, newsflash: Black people speak about things other than diversity! Newsflash #2: Black History Month is not the only time to book a Black speaker at your company!

Black people do not exist to educate your colleagues about race. What should you book Black people and people of color to speak about? EVERYTHING. When should you book Black people and people of color to speak? EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR. Hire BIPOC to speak about data science, leadership, innovation, design thinking, AI, VR, UX, UI, blockchain, growth, management, social impact, marketing, creativity, social media, polarization, empathy, privacy, tech addiction, Gen-Z, et. al. In other words, if you’re looking for a speaker on a specific topic, there’s a Black person or person of color who is a brilliant speaker on that topic. Find them. Book them. Pay them. Book them—or someone they recommend—again.

2. Pay Black people and people of color competitively for their work.

This one should go without saying, but it needs to be spelled out clearly. Over the past five years, I’ve been disheartened (but not surprised) to find out that events I have spoken at, or attended, have paid speakers of color less than white speakers with similar levels of experience, for similar amounts of work. Before I speak at any event, I try to check in with my female and BIPOC colleagues on the speaker line-up, to make sure they are getting paid competitively. Obviously, speaking fees can vary widely, and a speaker with twenty years of experience (or a speaker who is mega-famous or a massively bestselling author), is going to be paid a lot more than someone who has minimal experience, but that doesn’t justify some of the inconsistencies I’ve experienced when it comes to the race and gender pay gap in public speaking. All too often, events do not pay women speakers or POC speakers competitively for their work.

3. Elevate women of color.

Research shows that women are invited to give fewer talks than men at top U.S. universities, and the gap is even worse for women of color. A University of California Hastings study, based on interviews of 60 women of color in STEM fields and a survey of 557 women, found that a full 100 percent of women of color reported gender bias in their profession. Black women in STEM were more likely (77 percent) than other women (66 percent) to report “having to prove themselves over and over again.” We need to break down the systemic barriers that keep women of color from the main stage.

4. Nominate.

Michelle Kim, the founder and CEO of Awaken, which provides experiential workshops that empower managers and teams to lead inclusively, advises leaders to “use your power to level the playing field.” When you get asked to speak at a conference or event, see who else is on the line-up. Recommend at least three Black people or people of color you know that are amazing speakers to the event planner. If you aren’t available, you should still recommend three (or even five) BIPOC you know that are amazing speakers. The event might not book everyone, but they might select 1-2 folks, and consider selecting others the following year. By putting new voices on the event planner’s radar, you are contributing to the solution. By only looking out for yourself (or only nominating white people), you are part of the problem.

5. Expand your network and community.

As the documentary Miss Representation shows, “you can’t be what you can’t see.” You also aren’t likely to hire or promote or nominate or book someone you don’t know, either. If you don’t have a lot of people of color in your professional or personal network, it’s time to expand your professional and personal network. Change the types of events you’re going to, read more books and articles by authors that don’t look you, and follow new people on social media. Jenny Sauer-Klein, a facilitator and experience design expert, recommends that event planners, “tap leaders from the communities you want to attract to be on your advisory board, or to be ambassadors for your event. Ask them for recommendations and referrals and to put the word out to their communities. Give them a leadership role in your curating team and organization.” Even better: hire (and competitively pay) a Black person or person of color to co-run your event. If you’re a speaking agency or event production company: hire and work with more BIPOC speaking agents.

6. Promote young voices.

Take a look at the voices leading the charge for Black Lives Matter and the movement for Black lives; March for Our Lives and the call to end gun violence; Sunrise Movement and the fight against climate change. What unites them? They are fueled by young people with something to say, using the power of social media and community organizing to demand a better future for themselves and their children. For too long the speaking industry has prioritized older, establishment voices. Old politicians and gray haired academics who wrote their seminal book twenty years ago? Their talk was boring twenty years ago and it’s still boring today! Wake up, it’s 2020! The youth are leading the call for social change. If the speaking industry wants to remain relevant, it needs to listen to young people. It’s high time to start prioritizing young, fresh, diverse voices on stages across America and the world.

7. Speak up, then step back.

If you are a white dude and get invited to speak on a panel or keynote an event with too few womxn or too few BIPOC speakers, speak up. Refuse to speak at the event, unless they invite more womxn and BIPOC speakers. If you are a white woman and get invited to speak on a panel or deliver a keynote with only other white women, speak up. Refuse to do the event, unless they invite more women of color. If you don’t know any BIPOC speakers who would be a fit for the event, ask others in your community. Also, pro tip: when you’re actually on the panel, don’t hog the mic. Talk less, listen more, and let someone else have the first and last word.  

To my fellow white or privileged speakers: speaking up might cost you a gig, and every now and then you will have turn down high-paying or high-leverage gigs with organizations or events that aren’t acting inclusively. Good. If the work of speaking up isn’t risking you anything, you’re likely not doing enough. As my friend Willie Jackson, a speaker, facilitator, and DEI consultant with The Ready Set, writes, “The work of being an accomplice — might cost you something. Perhaps your comfort or social standing, or maybe even your safety. Real advocacy and comfort rarely go hand in hand.”

8. Do the work, all year round, every single year.

It was nice to see companies posting statements in support of Black Lives Matter and their Black community members, in the wake of recent protests, but it would be nicer to see more organizations taking action all year round, always and forever. It’s not like America just started being racist. Don’t wait until there’s a national conversation on race to become an anti-racist event planner. Do the work, all year round, every single year. Read books by people of color. Listen to podcasts by people of color. Watch content made by people of color. Subscribe to lists of speakers of diverse races, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, nationalities, abilities, backgrounds, and experiences. To get you started, here are a few recommended (and incomplete) lists and resources for finding diverse speakers: FRESH Speakers, Black Owned DEI Companies & Consultants, The Women/Womxn, BIPOC, and Inclusivity Speaker Initiative, Editors of Color, Women and Color, Women Talk Design, Diversability, Disability Connect, 50/50 Pledge, Lesbians Who Tech, More Women’s Voices, Tech Inclusion, 1000 Tech and Science Speakers Who Aren’t CIS Men, 200+ Thought Leaders in Crypto and Blockchain.

Friendly reminder: lists like these have been around for years and haven’t solved the problem. Lists aren’t a substitute for actually doing the work. Just because your events team or speaking agency has collected a list of several Black speakers or posted a blog post of “Black speakers for Black History Month,” does not mean your work is done—far from it. You should be collaborating with and elevating Black voices and voices of color, all year long, every single year, always and forever.

9. Be transparent and make the ask.

If your line-up is too male or too white, admit it. Don’t try to act like people won’t notice, they will. Be honest. First, do your research. Search and then search again. But if you need to, ask for help. Make it known that you want to do better. Put your call for speakers out to groups filled with Black people and people of color. Ask your friends and social media network to suggest amazing BIPOC leaders, speakers, and storytellers. If you are asking your colleagues for their time and labor, be prepared to compensate them for their time and labor. If your friends don’t have recommendations, ask them to ask their friends. If those people can’t help, keep asking. Don’t ever say, “We tried to find Black speakers and POC speakers, but there weren’t any.” It’s 2020. That excuse is tired and done. 

Adam Smiley Poswolsky is an author and keynote speaker. In 2017, he helped launch The Women/Womxn, BIPOC, and Inclusivity Speaker Initiative, a community that aims to increase the number of women and people of color speaking at conferences and companies, as well as ensure that underrepresented speakers are paid competitively. The group now has over 3,000 members. Anyone who is dedicated to supporting underrepresented voices in the speaking industry is welcome; learn more. Earlier versions of sections of this article have been published by the author in different form.