john a. powell

john a. powell

Keynote Speaker: Civil Rights Scholar & Legal Advocate; Director of Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley; Author of "Racing to Justice"

john a. powell Biography

John A. Powell is a scholar specializing in civil rights, structural racism, housing policy, poverty, and democracy. Powell serves as director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, a research institute focused on identifying and eliminating barriers to an inclusive and equitable society. He holds the Robert D. Haas Chancellor's Chair in Equity and Inclusion and is a professor of Law, African American Studies, and Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley.

Powell's career integrates legal advocacy and academic scholarship. He served as national legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, where he contributed to the development of educational adequacy theory. Powell was previously executive director of the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at Ohio State University and founder and director of the Institute for Race and Poverty at the University of Minnesota. He has worked internationally, consulting for the governments of Mozambique and South Africa, and has also worked in India and Brazil. Powell has taught at several law schools, including Harvard and Columbia University.

Powell is known for developing frameworks that influence how policymakers and advocates address equity. He led the development of an opportunity-based model connecting affordable housing to education, health, health care, and employment. Powell is recognized for his work on targeted universalism and othering and belonging as strategies for equity-based interventions. He has written extensively on structural racism, racial justice, regionalism, concentrated poverty, urban sprawl, opportunity-based housing, voting rights, affirmative action in the United States, South Africa and Brazil, racial and ethnic identity, spirituality and social justice, and the needs of citizens in a democratic society. His book "Racing to Justice: Transforming Our Conceptions of Self and Other to Build an Inclusive Society" presents these concepts to a broad audience.

Powell's work continues to examine inclusion and social division. "Belonging without Othering," co-authored with Stephen Menendian, explores the roots of social division and advocates for a paradigm of belonging that does not require the creation of an "other." Powell has appeared on NPR and WNYC's "On the Media" to discuss free speech and the Constitution, "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" regarding housing segregation, and CBS Evening News to address targeted universalism. He is a co-founder of the Poverty & Race Research Action Council and serves on the boards of several national and international organizations. Through research, legal advocacy, and public engagement, Powell is a prominent voice on equity, belonging, and democracy.

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john a. powell Videos

john a. powell talks about Structural Racism and Housing. - YouTube
Building Belonging in a Time of Othering, with john a. powell ...
john powell keynote: The Mechanisms of Othering - YouTube

How do I book john a. powell to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like john a. powell 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 john a. powell, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for john a. powell or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book john a. powell for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for john a. powell, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book john a. powell are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire john a. powell, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does john a. powell speak about?

john a. powell is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Diversity & Inclusion, Social Activism, Anti-Racism, Women, College, DEI, Belonging, Civil Rights, Thought Leadership, Disruptive Thinking and Social Justice.

Where does john a. powell travel from?

john a. powell generally travels from Berkeley, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for john a. powell?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like john a. powell 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 1.855.383.8805, and one of our agents will assist you to book john a. powell 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 john a. powell 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.


john a. powell is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Diversity & Inclusion, Social Activism and Anti-Racism. The estimated speaking fee range to book john a. powell for live events is $20,000 - $30,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. john a. powell generally travels from Berkeley, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are AJ Hikes, Tim Wise and Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling john a. powell for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 23/07/2026.

john a. powell Videos

john a. powell talks about Structural Racism and Housing. - YouTube
Building Belonging in a Time of Othering, with john a. powell ...
john powell keynote: The Mechanisms of Othering - YouTube
john a. powell participates in UC Berkeley free speech panel ...
john a. powell: We the People - YouTube
  • How do I book john a. powell to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like john a. powell 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 john a. powell, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for john a. powell or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book john a. powell for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for john a. powell, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book john a. powell are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire john a. powell, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does john a. powell speak about?

    john a. powell is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Diversity & Inclusion, Social Activism, Anti-Racism, Women, College, DEI, Belonging, Civil Rights, Thought Leadership, Disruptive Thinking and Social Justice.
  • Where does john a. powell travel from?

    john a. powell generally travels from Berkeley, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for john a. powell?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like john a. powell 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 1.855.383.8805, and one of our agents will assist you to book john a. powell 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 john a. powell 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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