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Damon Young

Damon Young

Keynote Speaker: Co-Founder of Very Smart Brothas & Author of "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker"

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    Live Event Fee: $10,000 - $20,000
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Damon Young Biography

Damon Young is a writer, critic, humorist and satirist. He was also the co-founder and editor in chief of the VerySmartBrothas blog -- coined “the blackest thing that ever happened to the internet -- by The Washington Post, which was acquired by Univision and Gizmodo Media Group to be a vertical of The Root.

Young's writing vacillates from anthropological satire and absurdist racial insights to razor sharp cultural critique and unflinching indictments of privilege and bias. His debut memoir "What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir In Essays" is a tragicomic exploration of the angsts, anxieties, and absurdities of existing while black in America. The book won Barnes & Noble’s 2019 Discover Award and was named an NPR Best Book of the Year. It was also longlisted for the PEN America Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award; nominated for both an NAACP Image Award and a Hurston/Wright Legacy Award; and is a Krause Essay Prize nominee.

Young is a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, and a columnist for GQ. His work has been featured in The Washington Post, LitHub, Time Magazine, Slate, LongReads, Salon, The Guardian, New York Magazine, EBONY, Jezebel, and the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

A native Pittsburgher who attended Canisius College on a basketball scholarship, Young is also a member of ACLU Pennsylvania's State Board.

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Damon Young Videos

2020 L.E.A.D. Conference: Damon Young Keynote
Damon Young On His Book 'What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker'
Damon Young

How do I book Damon Young to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Damon Young 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 Damon Young, 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 Damon Young or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Damon Young for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Damon Young, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Damon Young, 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 Damon Young speak about?

Damon Young is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Diversity, Social Activism, Black Heritage, Authors, Writing, Blogging, Editing, Entrepreneurship and Literary.

Where does Damon Young travel from?

Damon Young generally travels from Pittsburgh, PA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Damon Young?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Damon Young 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 Damon Young 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 Damon Young 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.


Damon Young is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Diversity, Social Activism and Black Heritage. The estimated speaking fee range to book Damon Young for live events is $10,000 - $20,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Damon Young generally travels from Pittsburgh, PA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Angela Davis, Ijeoma Oluo and Iyanla Vanzant. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Damon Young for an upcoming event.

Damon Young Videos

2020 L.E.A.D. Conference: Damon Young Keynote
Damon Young On His Book 'What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker'
Damon Young
Author Damon Young on America's shifting narratives around race
Damon Young: Writer, columnist, humorist
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