LEADERS OF A BEAUTIFUL STRUGGLE

Public Speaking Profile

www.lbsbaltimore.com

Table of Contents
About Us
Who we are What We Do Our Speaking Philosophy 3 4 5

Topics
Black History and Black Politics Activism and Civic Engagement for Students Race and The Academy Talks on Issues that Matter Bringing LBS to You Scheduling and Compensation Contact Info References 10 11 12 6 7 8 9

Who we are
Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS) is a Baltimore based, youth led think-tank and political action committee (PAC) which works toward transformative change on behalf of Baltimore City's most needy residents. We seek to radically change the discourse around local and regional politics by injecting community voices into political conversations through policy research, advocacy, and community organizing from a grassroots perspective. As one of the few political action committees where all the founding members are under the age of 25, we seek to use our unique experience as college educated youth raised in Baltimore City to challenge status quo politics as usual around the issues that most deeply effect disadvantaged communities. We receive no funding from any foundations, nonprots, or political parties. Instead, we are an independent group of concerned youth attempting to engage hands on with the political sphere. Established in August 2010, LBS is comprised of a Board of Directors which runs day to day operations. All board members attended Baltimore City Public Schools. We feel this gives us critical personal experience with the conditions of poverty and community disempowerment we now seek to address.

The real life Great Debaters

The organization's focus on policy stems the unique experience many of our members had with the activity of intercollegiate policy debate while attending Towson University in Baltimore, MD. In a community which had traditionally favored a dispassionate C-SPAN style of debate, members of LBS introduced a style that reected their experience as African American youth from Baltimore, with political hip-hop, poetry, and an explicit focus on social justice at its foundation. This style eventually transformed the college debate community, carrying LBS director Dayvon Love to the 2008 Debate National Championship and other members of LBS to great success as debaters and coaches. Towson consistently defeated teams from powerhouse debate schools like Dartmouth, Harvard, and Northwestern with its unique approach and having analyzed issues ranging from Supreme Court Statutory Law to Federal Agricultural Policy through the lens of racial justice. LBS now seeks to nd practical applications for the knowledge we gained in becoming, in the words of Syracuse Professor Dr. Boyce Watkins, The Real Life 'Great Debaters' . This is also the reason why we chose to engage in For more information about policy debate and the 2008 National public speaking. With over 30 years of combined Debate Championship,check out experience dedicated to studying, practicing and Dayvon Love on his National teaching public speaking and debate at a national Public Radio (NPR) interview. championship level, we feel we have acquired presentation and argumentation skills that make our organization uniquely suited to ll a role this role. Simply put, speaking is not just something we want to do, it's who we are, and we seek to use public speaking as platform to educate and inform others, while simultaneously raising funds to support our work. Check out our in depth interview with the Baltimore Indypendent Reader to read more information about LBS.

What we do
Public Policy Research and Advocacy - Our foundational role is that of a community think-tank, designed to produce and advocate for policy solutions to problems faced by everyday people in Baltimore. This has most notably taken the form of our education policy, which outlines our six part policy solution for education in Baltimore. We have advocated locally and regionally, with policy makers and community members, on issues such as criminal justice, public health, housing, and criminal justice reform. Community Organizing - In addition to working in on policy issues, LBS is institutionally committed to community organizing. Most notably, LBS has been central to organizing the ght against the construction of a proposed $100 million youth jail in East Baltimore, organizing the Youth Justice Sunday protest in October 2010 which has since become a template for other advocacy organizations. We also hold community forums where we invite experts from around the city to discuss important issues like education, local hiring, and youth leadership. From our West Baltimore location, LBS has worked directly in Baltimore's Irvington, Howard Park, and Edmondson Village neighborhoods. Political Campaign Coordination and Fundraising - LBS ran its rst political campaign in the summer of 2011, with Dayvon Love running for Baltimore City Council with members of the LBS Board of Directors serving as his campaign staff. Receiving 10% of the vote despite being outspent 20 to 1 by the competition, LBS gained rst hand experience with fundraising, political strategy and, of course, the complicated notions of political maneuvering and spin. We hope to use this experience in the future by using our PAC to support local, progressive reform candidates and potentially continue to run political campaigns as an organization. Youth Leadership Development and Activist Capacity Building LBS holds members meetings where we instruct youth on the nature of political activism and local politics. We also engage in extensive collaboration, planning, and consulting with local activists and nonprots in the Baltimore Area. These include the Baltimore Algebra Project, the National Action Network (Baltimore Branch), Baltimore Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and numerous other organizations and individuals. We also do pro-bono public speaking appearances throughout Baltimore City at rallies, on the radio, community events and meetings.

Speaking Philosophy

Black Thought: Any time, Any topic

We see ourselves as youth political ambassadors animated by the legacy of the Black freedom struggle. As such we we seek to honor our commitment to education and political change by creating talks that are engaging, challenging, and interactive. Most of the events we have done in the past have used spoken word poetry, audio/visual engagement, public debates, and panel discussions as our tools of disseminating information. All of these events have included a focus on question/answer sessions and audience participation. Since we have been fortunate enough to receive a plethora of experiences doing academic and advocacy work, we offer a wide variety of talks so that we can best tailor our engagements to the audience's needs and interests. With our proven track record as public speakings, we are condent we can create talks that meet and even exceed your expectations.

Black History & Black Politics

William Faulkner once said: "The past is not dead. In fact, it's not even past." LBS believes this statement is especially true in the context of Black history, and our talks on Black History & Black Politics address how the past congures how many people of color experience present day America, while also providing a historical framework for contemporary political responses to oppression. As young people raised in an era of multiculturalism yet educated in the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement and Black Power, we understand personally the complex interactions and tensions between distinct schools of thought around the state of contemporary Black America and its rich history. Our experience in intercollegiate policy debate gave us an opportunity to test and sharpen our theoretical analysis of these issues with some of the minds in the country, while our experience outside of debate runs the gambit from discussions with elected ofces to political prisoner activism. This puts us in a unique position to analyze these issues from multiple perspectives, be it a historical analysis of the legacy of Jim Crow in contemporary urban America or a debate over the value of Post Blackness in an Obama era. Our analysis of Black Politics & Black History seeks to get at the heart of some of the most pressing around America's racial legacy, good and bad, past and present. We seek to nd ways to utilize our experiences to change the discourse around the issues of Black History & Black Politics by crafting talks that are both intellectually robust yet also accessible to a wide array of audiences.

*Potential Topics
Beyond 'I Have a Dream': The Right's Color-Blind Co-option of Martin Luther King and the Radical Potential of the Forgotten MLK Black History for the 21st Century: The Black Freedom Struggles' Continued Resonance in Contemporary America Not Even Past: The Legacy of Slavery, Failed Reconstruction and Jim Crow on Contemporary Urban America Is Blackness History? A Debate on the Promise and Perils of 'Post Blackness' "Obama's Willie Horton Moment: An Analysis of Whiteness and Blackness in the Discourse and Visual Vocabulary of the 2012 Presidential Election" "A History of Hip Hop in Politics: The Power of Rap: Past, Present, and Future"
*These are example offerings based on past experience and expertise. Not an exclusive or denitive list. We tailor our offerings to audience and institutional needs.

Activism and Civic Engagement for Students

In Summer 2011, we took out activism off the campus, as a Towson University student group, and took it to the streets of Baltimore, running our rst political campaign, one of the rst entirely youth run political campaigns in state history. There we're thousands of doors to knock on tens of thousands of yers to distribute, and only a handful of volunteers to do the work. While ultimately not victorious, the campaign received national attention as a coordinated youth effort to engage politics and showcased how grassroots, community and net based activism could allow a dedicated group of youth to punch well above their weight on a political stage usually reserved for well funded elites. The dynamic weve faced is not unique. All over the country, student activists wonder how they can take what they did in school over to real world after they graduate and feel discouraged at the immense challenges that precede them. Even for those who attempt this feat, balancing work, avoiding burn out, and navigating the complicated social dynamics of political activism can be a daunting task. LBS has developed operational, logistical, and technological skills that have facilitated its transition from student group to a think-tank and political action committee, skills we wish to share to help future generations of students make a smooth transition to the world of political activism.

*Potential Topics
Political Campaign Management For the Rest of Us- How to Run, with No Money and No Machine, and Still Make an Impact From the Campus to the Canvass: Tips for Student Activists and Taking Student Activism into the 'Real World' Activism in Black: Advice for Aspiring Black Youth Activists "Whose is the 99%?: The "Dark Side" of the Occupy Movement and Tips on How Activists Can Stress Unity Without Glossing Over Difference"
*These are example offerings based on past experience and expertise. Not an exclusive or denitive list. We tailor our offerings to audience and institutional needs.

Race and the Academy

Over the past 30 years, race has become an increasingly popular topic of discussion in the academy and on college campuses. While this change is to be lauded, too often these talks are presented either from an abstract, academic context, or from the viewpoint of those whose experiences comes predominately from a previous historical era. LBS offers a view on the academy from the perspective of youth living within the conditions many only theorize about, giving us an insights into how these theories function. As nationally competitive debaters who have specialized in using and teaching critical race theory, we have been able to intimately engage with the works of some of today's most prominent theorists. From Foucault to Frank Wilderson, Deleuze to Angela Davis, we pride ourselves on being able to incorporate a wide range of theoretical perspectives into our analysis. Moreover, we have been fortunate enough personal relationships with many of these theorists, giving us a unique, personal connection to this scholarship. While many simply experience theory as theory, our experience with debate and as activists has allowed us put this ideas into motion, and we seek to share this framework with other young people. Our talks on theory aim to help students see how they can take these ideas outside the Ivory (or Ebony) tower and use them to create change both inside and outside of the academia.

*Potential Topics
Multiculturalism and its Discontents: A Debate over the Value and Dangers of 'Political Correctness' " The Real Life Great Debaters: The Story of Debate's First Black National Champions and the State of Critical Race Analysis in the Contemporary Academy After the Credits Roll: A Critical Race Analysis of The Wire from a Baltimore Native's Perspective Fanon on the Ground: Practical Applications for Critical Race Theory from Baltimore Political Activists
*These are example offerings based on past experience and expertise. Not an exclusive or denitive list. We tailor our offerings to audience and institutional needs.

In Depth on What Matters: Talks on Specic Issues

In addition to having broad categories of potential talks, LBS also offers talks on specic issues. These are issues that we have focused on in our academic and activist work. The LBS Approach: Talks on Education Policy
Reecting our rst hand experience as urban educators, LBS created an education proposal, outlining the changes we advocate for in the Baltimore education system. Pulling largely from the work of critical pedagogy scholars such as Paulo Friere, Bell Hooks, and Janice Hale, our 6 point plan is commentary not only on Baltimore, but on the state of America education in general. LBS offers talks discussing our education proposal and how it functions to reframe the larger discussion around urban education.

Reforming The State of Capture: Talks on The American Prison System

Starting with an academic interest in prisons fostered by debate and continuing with our activism against the proposed youth jail in Baltimore, LBS has developed a critical framework for understanding the increase in mass incarceration America has experienced over the past 35 years. Our talk on the prison system will explain the history of this expansion, it's radicalized context, and offer clear solutions to the current state of capture.

A Framework for Change: Talks on Drug Treatment/ Social Determinants Public Health Theory
In addition to our other activist efforts, LBS has worked with local public health specialists and activists to gain tools to understand why Baltimore, despite having some of the world's best health facilities, has some of the worst public health outcomes in the country. Using to latest analytical techniques, LBS will present a breakdown of Baltimore's most (in)famous public health crisis as an example of how public heath is a manifestation not only of personal choice, but also social/ institutional factors. Well show that this requires new, revolutionary interventions that fundamentally change the social landscape to ensure people have access to health choices in the rst place.

Scheduling and Compensation

Scheduling
Upon request, LBS can email a list of available days for travel. As certain LBS members are experts in different areas, and thus give different talks, we will work hard to ensure that best representative be available for a talk. This however, takes time; the more specic the desired talk, the more lead time we need. LBS already has a select number of talks ready for short notice occasions, and, subject to prior notice, weekday openings for some of these lower impact talks in the mid-Atlantic region. For more information on availability, please email Fernando Kirkman at fernando@lbsbaltimore.com.

Compensation
As a base line, LBS charges $1,500 per hour for our services. The fee includes but is not limited to these types of events: Public speaking at colleges and universities Workshops Consulting Political Seminars Presentations Public debates (priced at a special at rate of $3,000) All costs related to transportation must be covered by your organization and is not included in the fee. Due to the specialized nature of the services we provide, we require advanced notice so that we can meet your needs accordingly. If you have any questions related to booking and compensation, please contact Fernando Kirkman at fernando@lbsbaltimore.com. Public speaking is not a prot making venture for the members LBS. Instead, it is one method by which we seek to fund the advocacy work we do in the city. The fees we charge will go toward running conferences, covering institutional overhead, and supporting likeminded efforts to improve the city of Baltimore. We hope that you take time to look at some of information provided in this document to see rst hand what LBS has to offer. We feel condent that once you do, you'll nd we offer a unique product with a unique purpose, one that could benet your institution and is worth supporting.

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References
Articles and events where LBS has been featured.
Watkins, Boyce. "Dr. Boyce Spotlight: Meet the First Black National Debate Champion, Dayvon Love". 22 May 2011. Your Black World. The Marc Steiner Show. WEAA: Baltimore, 19 Sep 2011. Radio. Appleton, Andrea. "City Councilmember Helen Holton survives legal troubles to face challengers in the 8th District." Baltimore City Paper [Baltimore, MD] 24 Aug 2011, n. pag. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. Value My Vote! 2011 - Dayvon Love, 8th Dist. City Council Candidate. Dir. Hassan Giordano . On the Hill media, 2011. Web. 19 Jan 2012. In June 2011, LBS met with The Intersection, a non prot dedicated to teaching youth community organizing and journalism skills. Sciullo, Nick. "Dayvon Love, Baltimore City Council candidate for the 8th District, Talks Hip-Hop, Social Justice, and His Candidacy" Hip Hop Law. N.p., 23 Jun 2011. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. LBS Freedom Forum. Baltimore's Youth Movement. April 2011. The Toronto Based "Real New Network" gave LBS global exposure when it launched its web story on our city council campaign. Watch the story here. American Studies Association (ASA) Conference. Presenters: Dayvon Love and Lawrence Grandpre. Radical Prison Studies: Special Roundtable Session with U.S. Political Prisoner Eddie Conway and (Baltimore Area) Students, College Debaters, and Activists. Chair, Dylan Rodriguez. Fri, Oct 21.. Listen to the audio here. Debate: Sexism in the Black Arts Movement. Created for the Baltimore Urban Debate League. Daryl Burch and Dr. Shanara Reid-Brinkley (University of Pittsburgh) vs. Deven Cooper and Dayvon Love. Philosophy and Religious Studies Department- Fall Colloquium- Environmentalism and Social Justice. Presenter: Lawrence Grandpre-Speaking Truth to Power: A Critical Race/ Eco-critical Reading of Ellisons Invisible Man- October 19, 2011 Houppert, Karen. "What ever happened to Baltimore High School Debaters". 19 Dec 2010. Washignton Post Magazine. Online.

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 Public Training. "The Art of Debate". Given at the Baltimore Book Festival. September 25th, 2011. Corbin, Michael. The Graduates. Urbanite Magazine. September 2011. Online. Baltimore, MD Grandpre, Lawrence. "Private facilities not the answer for juvenile justice". 29 Dec 2010. Baltimore Sun. Letters to the Editor. Presentation. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA). Emancipatory Research and Prison Reform. March 2011. Presentation available for download here. Joint Center- Design Lab 12. Training for Public Health Advocates on Social Determinant of Health. Boston, MA. April 2011. Development Launch Intensive. Public Health Training. Conducted by Carlos CastilloSalgado former Director of Pan American World Health Organization, and Professor at Johns Hopkins. S.H.E.P.A.R.D. [Systemic Health Equity Policy Assessment &Response Diagnostic] Tool Training. January 2012.

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Board of Directors
Adam Jackson
Chief Executive Ofcer

Adam@lbsbaltimore.com

Candace Handy
Chief Operating Ofcer

Candace@lbsbaltimore.com

Clarence Henson
Chief Financial Ofcer

Clarence@lbsbaltimore.com

Fernando Kirkman
External Communications

Fernando@lbsbaltimore.com

Dayvon Love
Director, Advocacy and Public Policy

Dayvon@lbsbaltimore.com

Deverick Murray
Director, Youth Development

Deverick@lbsbaltimore.com

Benjamin Morgan
Director, Community Organizing

Ben@lbsbaltimore.com

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