Kwame Alexander

Kwame Alexander

Keynote Speaker: Poet, Educator, Publisher, Emmy Award Winning Producer & New York Times Bestselling Author Known for "The Crossover"

Kwame Alexander Biography

Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, Emmy-winning producer and #1 New York Times bestselling author of 41 books, including the upcoming release "Black Star," the second installment of his Door of "No Return" trilogy, "This Is The Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets," "Why Fathers Cry at Night," "An American Story," "The Door of No Return," "Becoming Muhammad Ali" (co-authored with James Patterson), "Rebound," which was shortlisted for the prestigious UK Carnegie Medal, and "The Undefeated," the National Book Award nominee, Newbery Honor, and Caldecott Medal-winning picture book illustrated by Kadir Nelson.

Alexander is also the Emmy-winning Executive Producer, Showrunner, and Writer of "The Crossover" TV series, based on his Newbery-Medal winning novel of the same name, which premiered on Disney+ in April 2023. The series was produced in partnership with LeBron James' SpringHill Company and Big Sea Entertainment, Alexander's production company that is dedicated to creating innovative, highly original children’s and family entertainment. Other current projects in development at Big Sea include "America’s Next Great Author," the groundbreaking reality television series for writers.

A regular contributor to NPR’s Morning Edition, Alexander is the creator and host of the "Why Fathers Cry" podcast, premiering September 2023, featuring conversations about love and parenting and loss, with fathers and sons. He regularly shares his passion for literacy, books and the craft of writing around the world at events like the Chautauqua Lecture Series, the Edinburgh Book Festival, Aspen Ideas, and the Global Literacy Symposium in Ghana, where he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic in Ghana. Most recently he was appointed the Rudell Artistic Director of Literary Arts and Writer-in-Residence at the Chautauqua Institution.

His mission is to change the world, one word at a time.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Kwame Alexander and other top speakers and celebrities.

Kwame Alexander Speaking Topics

Light for the World to See

A Talk and Performance on the quintessential American bullet points of Race, Racism, and Hope.

Say Yes

KWAME ALEXANDER shares stories from overcoming the NOs—winning the most prestigious children’s book award in America after five years of rejections from publishers—to dreaming the impossible—building a library and health clinic in Ghana, and everything in between—all by saying YES, to himself.

The Playbook: #BasketballRules for Life

Sports is a great metaphor for life. It is about how we prepare for the games in our fantastic and messy lives. In these games we decide who the best players are to assist us, and we test our skills on the court of life to help determine who we really are and what is most important to each of us.

Be Constructive with Your Blues

A talk on facing your fears, finding your voice, standing up for what’s right, and taking whatever situation you are faced with and making something constructive happen with it. Making your blues beautiful.

The Writerly Life

A bit of conversation, and a splash of performance as KWAME ALEXANDER shares what he’s learned from reading and writing poetry and children’s books.

Kwame Alexander Videos

“This Is the Honey: An Anthology Of Contemporary Black Poets”
Saying Yes to What's Possible: A Conversation with Kwame Alexander
Keynote Author Interview: Kwame Alexander

How do I book Kwame Alexander to speak at my event?

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

How much does it cost to book Kwame Alexander for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Kwame Alexander, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Kwame Alexander are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Kwame Alexander, 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 Kwame Alexander speak about?

Kwame Alexander is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Authors, Poetry, Creativity, Creative Writing, Education, Publishing, Motivational, Social Activism, Diversity & Inclusion, Black Heritage, Black History Month and Literary.

Where does Kwame Alexander travel from?

Kwame Alexander generally travels from Washington, DC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Kwame Alexander?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Kwame Alexander 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 Kwame Alexander 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 Kwame Alexander 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.


Kwame Alexander is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Authors, Poetry and Creativity. The estimated speaking fee range to book Kwame Alexander for live events is $30,000 - $50,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. Kwame Alexander generally travels from Washington, DC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Ijeoma Oluo, Clayborne Carson and Bakari Sellers. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Kwame Alexander for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 07/08/2024.

Kwame Alexander Speaking Topics

  • Light for the World to See

    A Talk and Performance on the quintessential American bullet points of Race, Racism, and Hope.

  • Say Yes

    KWAME ALEXANDER shares stories from overcoming the NOs—winning the most prestigious children’s book award in America after five years of rejections from publishers—to dreaming the impossible—building a library and health clinic in Ghana, and everything in between—all by saying YES, to himself.

  • The Playbook: #BasketballRules for Life

    Sports is a great metaphor for life. It is about how we prepare for the games in our fantastic and messy lives. In these games we decide who the best players are to assist us, and we test our skills on the court of life to help determine who we really are and what is most important to each of us.

  • Be Constructive with Your Blues

    A talk on facing your fears, finding your voice, standing up for what’s right, and taking whatever situation you are faced with and making something constructive happen with it. Making your blues beautiful.

  • The Writerly Life

    A bit of conversation, and a splash of performance as KWAME ALEXANDER shares what he’s learned from reading and writing poetry and children’s books.

Kwame Alexander Videos

“This Is the Honey: An Anthology Of Contemporary Black Poets”
Saying Yes to What's Possible: A Conversation with Kwame Alexander
Keynote Author Interview: Kwame Alexander
This is the superpower teachers need to flex | Kwame Alexander | Big Think
The Power of Yes | Kwame Alexander | TEDxHerndon

Kwame Alexander Reviews

  • Kwame was so candid and moving, and I really appreciated the way the conversation flowed between him and the moderator. We’ve received positive feedback, and it was a fantastic way to celebrate Juneteenth. A few key takeaways I've heard include the importance of knowing our stories, our family stories, and our roots. How can we grow without knowing our roots? We keep our ancestors alive by telling these stories. It's also crucial to have books that kids and people can relate to.
    Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, Slate and Flom LLP - Jun 14 2024

  • Fayetteville Public Library - Nov 06 2018

  • How do I book Kwame Alexander to speak at my event?

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

    Speaking fees for Kwame Alexander, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Kwame Alexander are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Kwame Alexander, 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 Kwame Alexander speak about?

    Kwame Alexander is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Authors, Poetry, Creativity, Creative Writing, Education, Publishing, Motivational, Social Activism, Diversity & Inclusion, Black Heritage, Black History Month and Literary.
  • Where does Kwame Alexander travel from?

    Kwame Alexander generally travels from Washington, DC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Kwame Alexander?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Kwame Alexander 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 Kwame Alexander 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 Kwame Alexander 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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