Trust AAE Speakers Bureau for Booking Top Professional Speakers. Find a Keynote Speaker Today.
Trust AAE Speakers Bureau for Booking Top Professional Speakers. Find a Keynote Speaker Today.
Yusef Salaam

Yusef Salaam

Keynote Speaker: One of the Central Park 5, Entrepreneur, Author, Trainer & Leader

Yusef Salaam Biography

In 1989, at just fifteen years young, Dr. Yusef Salaam was tried and convicted in the “Central Park jogger” case along with four other Black and Latinx young men. The Exonerated Five spent between seven to 13 years behind bars for crimes they did not commit, until their sentences were overturned in 2002. Since then, they have received a multi-million-dollar settlement from the city of New York for its injustice and have been profiled in award-winning films, including The Central Park Five documentary from Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon and most recently the Emmy award-winning Netflix limited series "When They See Us," written and directed by Ava DuVernay.

Over the past two decades, Yusef has become a family man, father, poet, activist, and inspirational speaker. He continues to utilize his platform to share his story with others and educate the public about the impact of mass incarceration and police brutality rooted in our justice system. He regularly advocates for criminal justice reform, prison reform and the abolition of juvenile solitary confinement and capital punishment.

Yusef is also a New York Times bestselling author, and recently released his memoir, "Better, Not Bitter.," detailing his journey where in the face of misjustice, Yusef found hope.

Yusef is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama (2016) and more recently has shared his story and stance on current issues on CNN, MSNBC, REVOLT TV, NPR Atlanta, FOX and more.

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, Government, Authors, Political, Social Activism, Commencement, Black Heritage, 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 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, Nikki Giovanni and Dr. Marc Lamont Hill. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Yusef Salaam for an upcoming event.

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

  • 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

  • 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 - Mar 29 2017

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All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.