Ashley Judd

Heralded for starring in both box office hits and for her unforgettable performances in independent films, Ashley Judd is a renowned actress, humanitarian, and political activist. She has a career that spans over three decades, with notable roles in films such as Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, Where the Heart Is, and High Crimes. Judd has also made a significant impact on the small screen, earning a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her role in the 2012 television series 'Missing."

One of the most vocal and influential figures of the #MeToo movement, Judd was named to TIME's "Person of the Year" as one of the silence-breakers and change-makers who helped shift the culture and conversation around sexual abuse and harassment. A feminist and social justice humanitarian, Judd has worked internationally with NGOs, grassroots organizations, governments, and supranational bodies. She serves as a Global Goodwill Ambassador for the UNFPA, a member of the advisory board for Apne Aap Women Worldwide, and is the Chairperson of the Women’s Media Center Speech Project: Curbing Abuse, Expanding Freedom. Adding to her commendable humanitarian efforts, Judd has traveled with YouthAIDS to places affected by illness and poverty and has narrated three documentaries for the organization.

As an actress and a public speaker, Judd's films and speeches tell very personal stories-- which is exactly what she does at speaking engagements. A voice for the often voiceless, Judd speaks on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves. She has been active on the speakers' circuit, giving speeches about gender equality, abuse, and humanitarian topics. She also dives into topics of women's rights, mental health, the environment, advocacy, and more.

Judd began her lifelong activism at the tender age of 19 when she organized a campus-wide walkout of classes at the University of Kentucky to protest the use of the “N-word" by a revered member of the Board of Trustees at the university. Not only has she been indefatigable for racial justice and equality ever since, but she proudly supports sports at her alma mater and has further pursued academia with a mid-career MPA degree from Harvard Kennedy School and enrollment at UC Berkeley to pursue a Ph.D. in Public Policy. Her young activism flourished from there, soon encompassing the anti-apartheid movement and America's marital rape laws.

Some of the many highlights of three decades of activism include her iconic and courageous Nasty Woman speech at the Women’s March in 2017, which garnered tens of millions of views, her support of Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2008, and her endorsement of Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren in her run for the presidency in 2020. Judd was also appointed Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS, promoting AIDS prevention and treatment, and has been involved in HIV/AIDS counseling and testing initiatives. She shows no signs of slowing down her activism or her acting, continually striving to bring about change and tell stories that matter.