Dustin Lance Black

Dustin Lance Black

Keynote Speaker: Academy Award-Winning Filmmaker & Screenwriter; LGBTQ+ Activist

Dustin Lance Black Biography

Dustin Lance Black is an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, writer, LGBTQ+ activist, husband, and father of two. He won the Academy Award and two WGA Awards for his screenplay for "Milk," the film about activist Harvey Milk which starred Sean Penn. In 2018, Black received the Valentine Davies Award from the Writers Guild of America for his body of work.

Black was a founding board member of the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), which successfully led the federal cases for marriage equality in California and Virginia, putting an end to California’s discriminatory Proposition 8.

In 2022, Black created, executive produced, wrote, and directed the Emmy, Golden Globe, and Critics Choice nominated limited series “Under the Banner of Heaven” for FX and HULU based on the bestselling book by Jon Krakauer, starring Andrew Garfield. Black’s bestselling, award-winning memoir “Mama’s Boy” was released in 2019. Produced by Amblin TV and Playtone, acclaimed filmmaker Laurent Bouzereau adapted Black’s book into a feature documentary for HBO. Black also wrote the Academy Award nominated 2023 film "Rustin," a biopic about the esteemed civil rights organizer Bayard Rustin. He is currently directing the feature documentary "Rock Out with Live Nation."

In 2012, Black merged his creative and civil rights work with “8,” a play based on the Federal Proposition 8 trial. The play’s casts have included George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Jane Lynch, Martin Sheen, and John Lithgow. “8” broke viewership records when it was first broadcast online live from the Wilshire Ebell Theatre. The play has now been staged in eight countries and all fifty states with all proceeds benefiting LGBTQ+ equality efforts worldwide.

In 2011, Black earned his second “10 Best of the Year” award from the American Film Institute as the writer of "J. Edgar," which starred Leonardo DiCaprio and was directed by Clint Eastwood. From 2004-2008, Black drew on his Mormon upbringing as a writer and co-producer on HBO’s Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominated drama "Big Love" starring Bill Paxton. During this period, Black also penned the screenplay "Pedro" about the life and legacy of famed, openly gay, HIV positive "Real World" cast member Pedro Zamora. The film premiered on MTV and VH1 in 2009 and earned Black his second WGA Award nomination.

In addition to his creative work, Black was a co-founders of the Uprising of Love Coalition that sought to raise awareness of violence and discrimination committed against LGBTQ+ people in the global community. Black also served for three years on the board of the Trevor Project, a national LGBTQ youth crisis hotline, where he established a hotline in Harvey Milk’s former camera shop in San Francisco. And in 2009, Black was one of a handful of organizers of the National Equality March where he demanded full federal LGBTQ equality before an audience of over 200,000 demonstrators on the steps of the Nation’s Capital.

An honors graduate of UCLA’s School of Film and Television, Black began his career as an art director before moving into directing documentaries and commercials. His documentaries "On the Bus" (2001) and "My Life with Count Dracula" (2003) led to producing and directing TLC and BBC’s hit program "Faking It," which received notices for its unflinching sociological commentaries. Black has taught screenwriting at UCLA, Emerson, Bowling Green, USC, and has lectured at universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, and Penn. He has appeared regularly on the BBC, MSNBC, and CNN as a political commentator and has been repeatedly named one of the 50 most powerful LGBTQ+ people in the United States.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Dustin Lance Black and other top speakers and celebrities.

Dustin Lance Black Videos

Dustin Lance Black Chats to Ditch the Label - YouTube
Dustin Lance Black and Chad Griffin on Marriage Equality and ...
LGBT Graduation 2009 - Distinguished Service Award, Dustin Lance ...

How do I book Dustin Lance Black to speak at my event?

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

How much does it cost to book Dustin Lance Black for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Dustin Lance Black, 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 Dustin Lance Black, 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 Dustin Lance Black speak about?

Dustin Lance Black is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Author, College, LGBTQ, Diversity & Inclusion, Civil Rights, Social Activism, Storytelling, Culture, Television & Film and Non-Fiction Authors.

Where does Dustin Lance Black travel from?

Dustin Lance Black generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Dustin Lance Black?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Dustin Lance Black 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 Dustin Lance Black 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 Dustin Lance Black 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.


Dustin Lance Black is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Author, College and LGBTQ. Please contact us for live or virtual event fee details. Dustin Lance Black generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Tom Daley, Spike Lee and Jonathan Groff. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Dustin Lance Black for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 20/09/2025.

Dustin Lance Black Videos

Dustin Lance Black Chats to Ditch the Label - YouTube
Dustin Lance Black and Chad Griffin on Marriage Equality and ...
LGBT Graduation 2009 - Distinguished Service Award, Dustin Lance ...
Dustin Lance Black: Screenwriter of 'Milk' - FORA.tv

Dustin Lance Black News

  • How do I book Dustin Lance Black to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Dustin Lance Black 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 Dustin Lance Black, 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 Dustin Lance Black or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Dustin Lance Black for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Dustin Lance Black, 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 Dustin Lance Black, 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 Dustin Lance Black speak about?

    Dustin Lance Black is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Author, College, LGBTQ, Diversity & Inclusion, Civil Rights, Social Activism, Storytelling, Culture, Television & Film and Non-Fiction Authors.
  • Where does Dustin Lance Black travel from?

    Dustin Lance Black generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Dustin Lance Black?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Dustin Lance Black 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 Dustin Lance Black 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 Dustin Lance Black 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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DUSTIN LANCE BLACK

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