Social Change Activist, Film Executive, Host of “Anti-Racism at Work”
Ben O'Keefe
Speaking Fee: $10,000 and Below
Travels From:
Primary Topic Category: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) / Social Justice
Secondary Topic Category: African American & Black
Ben O'Keefe At A Glance:
Ben O'Keefe is a social change activist, political commentator, and Head of Diversity & Impact Production at Creator+, a film studio and streaming platform for digital-first storytellers.
Ben O’Keefe is a social change activist, political commentator, and Head of Diversity & Impact Production at Creator+, a film studio and streaming platform for digital-first storytellers.
His work finds him at the intersection of entertainment and politics having worked with organizations, brands, politicians, celebrities, and show-runners to build campaigns, content, and strategies that change hearts and minds.
At 26 years old, O’Keefe is considered a leading voice in progressive politics. He has been instrumental in mobilizing young people in the democratic process, including supporting the historic youth turnout in the 2020 presidential election.
O’Keefe served as Senior Creative Lead and Advisor for Senator Elizabeth Warren’s 2020 presidential campaign. He helped lead creative and strategic communications and advise the senator on youth engagement, LGBTQ+ engagement, and Black voter engagement.
As an activist, he became a prominent voice at the early age of 18 after starting a global movement against Abercrombie & Fitch’s size-based discrimination. He subsequently went on to work with major beauty and fashion brands to help grow the body-positivity movement as we know it. Netflix is currently developing a documentary around this work in which he is featured.
Ben is a respected voice in the #BlackLivesMatter movement and a leader in the LGBTQ+ community.
His podcast “Anti-Racism at Work” premiered on the Himalaya Network in January 2021.
Ben is also a sought-after public speaker, often speaking on diversity and anti-racism, social justice, and conversations on LGBTQ equality and masculinity.
His campaign work includes the #TakeDownTheFlag campaign to remove the Confederate Flag from the South Carolina Statehouse and from companies like Amazon and Wal-Mart, Alicia Keys’ ‘Vote Love’ campaign, and the viral campaign to save death row inmate Richard Glossip from execution.
He is an alum of MoveOn.org. He was the youngest employee in the organization’s history and eventually a senior leader responsible for helping transition the organization into its present-day iteration. He also worked for MTV News, where he served as head writer of “DECODED” a series on race and pop culture.
Recently he served as the Impact Producer for the film ALL IN: The Fight for Democracy from Amazon Studios, which features Stacey Abrams and her fight against voter suppression.
Ben serves on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Media Project, a multifaceted organization that provides support and funding to documentary films and filmmakers. He also serves on the board of the non-profit organization Project Heal.
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Finding Your Inner Activist
We all have a story, and our stories have the power to change someone else’s and—if we give them a chance—to change the world. This uplifting, crowd-favorite, will leave you cheering and excited to go out and make your mark on the world. -
Be A Man: A Fat, Black, Queer Man’s Exploration of Modern Masculinity
What does it mean to be a man in this day and age? In this conversation—for people of all genders—Ben dives into masculinity in the modern age, trans-inclusive intersectional feminism, and how the gender binary is keeping us from being our fullest selves. -
More than a Black Square: How Do We Fight for Black Lives?
An incredibly straightforward, challenging, and at times hilarious conversation on the topic on everyone’s mind. It will get you on your feet, in the streets, and feeling full of hope. -
Anti-Racism at Work
Based on his award-winning podcourse of the same name, Anti-Racism at Work dives deep beyond the buzzwords of diversity, equity, and inclusion to explore what those words really mean in the context of your workplace. You will leave with the tools you need to combat racism and ethnic discrimination and to build a workplace that gives all employees the opportunity to thrive.
Silicon Valley-Backed Creator+ Sets Team Behind New Digital Studio
The media startup, co-founded by YouTube vet Benjamin Grubbs and tech veteran Jonathan Shambroom, will see digital media vet Adam Wescott running its content arm.
How Can Progressives Stick The 2020 Election Landing? with Political Strategist Ben O’Keefe
This election season is anything but routine, and this week, Jonathan is asking political strategist Ben O’Keefe to coach us through all the ways we can help flip seats, add balance to any check on our democracy, ... Read moreby Earwolf
Anti-Racism at Work
The fight for racial equality in the United States isn’t new and in this course, activist Ben O’Keefe explores the power you have to drive lasting human rights improvements and combat deeply-ingrained racism in the ... Read moreby Himalaya
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