Damon Young

Co-Founder of Very Smart Brothas & Author of "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker"

Travels From Travels From:
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
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Damon Young Biography

Damon Young is a writer, critic, humorist and satirist. He was also the co-founder and editor in chief of the VerySmartBrothas blog -- coined “the blackest thing that ever happened to the internet -- by The Washington Post, which was acquired by Univision and Gizmodo Media Group to be a vertical of The Root.

Young's writing vacillates from anthropological satire and absurdist racial insights to razor sharp cultural critique and unflinching indictments of privilege and bias. His debut memoir "What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir In Essays" is a tragicomic exploration of the angsts, anxieties, and absurdities of existing while black in America. The book won Barnes & Noble’s 2019 Discover Award and was named an NPR Best Book of the Year. It was also longlisted for the PEN America Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award; nominated for both an NAACP Image Award and a Hurston/Wright Legacy Award; and is a Krause Essay Prize nominee.

Young is a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, and a columnist for GQ. His work has been featured in The Washington Post, LitHub, Time Magazine, Slate, LongReads, Salon, The Guardian, New York Magazine, EBONY, Jezebel, and the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

A native Pittsburgher who attended Canisius College on a basketball scholarship, Young is also a member of ACLU Pennsylvania's State Board.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 05/02/2024.

Damon Young Videos

  • 2020 L.E.A.D. Conference: Damon Young Keynote
    As the first keynote speaker, writer and native Pittsburgher Damon Young kicked off our annual Learning Equity, Acceptance, and Diversity (L.E.A.D.)...
  • Damon Young On His Book 'What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker'
    Damon Young is the author of the book What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker (2019), about surviving in a world where “existing while Black is...
  • Damon Young
    Ever wondered what the blackest book in the world was? Say no more fam. Damon Young, a senior editor of Very Smart Brothas, shares why ...

Damon Young Books

  • What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir In Essays
    What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir In Essays

FAQs on booking Damon Young

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  • What topics does Damon Young speak about?

    Damon Young is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Authors, Black Heritage, Black History Month, Blogging, DEI, Diversity & Inclusion, Entrepreneurship, Literary, Marketing, Social Activism.
  • Where does Damon Young travel from?

    Damon Young generally travels from Pittsburgh, PA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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Damon Young is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Damon Young for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Damon Young generally travels from Pittsburgh, PA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Clayborne Carson, Bobby Seale, Angela Davis, Ijeoma Oluo and Iyanla Vanzant. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Damon Young for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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