Yusef Salaam

Yusef Salaam

Keynote Speaker: New York City Councilman, Member of "The Exonerated Five" & Advocate for Police Reform; Author, "Better, Not Bitter"

Yusef Salaam Biography

Yusef Salaam's journey from being one of the Central Park Five to an influential figure in politics and social justice is a testament to his resilience and determination. Wrongfully convicted in the Central Park jogger case in 1989, his conviction was finally vacated in 2002. This harrowing experience fueled his passion for justice, leading him to author the bestselling "Better, Not Bitter: Living on Purpose in the Pursuit of Racial Justice" in 2021. His story was also brought to life in Ken Burns's film "The Central Park Five" and Ava DuVernay's television miniseries "When They See Us."

Following his exoneration, Salaam made significant strides in advocating for the wrongly convicted. He served on the board of the Innocence Project, an organization dedicated to exonerating the wrongly convicted through DNA testing. In 2016, his efforts were recognized at the highest level when then-president Barack Obama presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. His advocacy work addresses issues such as false confessions, police brutality, press ethics, and racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

In 2023, Salaam took his advocacy to the political arena, announcing his run for the New York City Council. He won the race and has represented the city's 9th council district since 2024.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Yusef Salaam and other top speakers and celebrities.

Yusef Salaam Videos

Yusef Salaam Of Exonerated Central Park Five Shares His Story
Yusef Salaam on What He Learned From Adversity
Yusef Salaam | The Marshall Project | The New Yorker

How do I book Yusef Salaam to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Yusef Salaam for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Yusef Salaam, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Yusef Salaam or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Yusef Salaam for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Yusef Salaam, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. For the most current speaking fee to hire Yusef Salaam, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Yusef Salaam speak about?

Yusef Salaam is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as College, Diversity & Inclusion, Government, Law, Authors, Political, Social Activism, Black History Month, Black Heritage, Commencement, Culture, Social Justice, Civil Rights and Television & Film.

Where does Yusef Salaam travel from?

Yusef Salaam generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Yusef Salaam?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Yusef Salaam for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Yusef Salaam for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Yusef Salaam or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Yusef Salaam is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including College, Diversity & Inclusion and Government. Please contact us for live or virtual event fee details. Yusef Salaam generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Bakari Sellers, Ijeoma Oluo and Dr. Marc Lamont Hill. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Yusef Salaam for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 21/02/2025.

Yusef Salaam Videos

Yusef Salaam Of Exonerated Central Park Five Shares His Story
Yusef Salaam on What He Learned From Adversity
Yusef Salaam | The Marshall Project | The New Yorker
Yusef Salaam Keynote | Unconscious Bias & Systemic Racism
Forgiveness, a Path to Redemption | Yusef Salaam | TEDxSingSing

Yusef Salaam Reviews

  • Dr. Salaam is personal, professional, inspirational and helps us find our own sense of strength. Thank you for helping us have a memorable MLK Convocation.
    Oakland Community College - Jan 30 2025

  • Auburn University - Mar 15 2022

  • this was definitely one of much better experiences with an agency this whole year so thank you! Also appreciated all the quotes in one link, made it much easier.
    University of Wisconsin-Madison - May 05 2021

  • Yusef's speaking engagement was amazing! He was attentive to the goals of the event, and found ways to make connections through his content. Yusef's speaking style made it feel like he was talking directly to you and not a large audience. His story of overcoming adversity is one that everyone should hear. It was incredibly powerful and sent chills through the audience. I cannot say enough positive things about All American Entertainment. They were prompt in their responses, and were incredibly helpful with all of my questions and concerns. Their roles in the planning process allowed for a smooth and successful event. It truly felt like they were invested in the event and wanted the best outcome for our organization.
    Target - Feb 02 2021

  • Great job! It was an honor and pleasure to work with Yusef Salaam to hear his story and learn the steps taken to have a better life.Hayley was truly supportive from the beginning and worked with the university and I which made me very happy because I had a short period to find a speak and LisaBeth was awesome as well . Thank you once again we look forward to working with your company next year
    University of New Haven, Black Student Union - Apr 01 2017

  • How do I book Yusef Salaam to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Yusef Salaam for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Yusef Salaam, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Yusef Salaam or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Yusef Salaam for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Yusef Salaam, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. For the most current speaking fee to hire Yusef Salaam, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Yusef Salaam speak about?

    Yusef Salaam is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as College, Diversity & Inclusion, Government, Law, Authors, Political, Social Activism, Black History Month, Black Heritage, Commencement, Culture, Social Justice, Civil Rights and Television & Film.
  • Where does Yusef Salaam travel from?

    Yusef Salaam generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Yusef Salaam?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Yusef Salaam for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Yusef Salaam for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Yusef Salaam or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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