Contact us 1.800.698.2536
Search by Speaker Name or Topic
Taneshia Nash Laird

Taneshia Nash Laird

Cultural Leadership & Entrepreneurship Expert; Executive Director of Project REAP; Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music; Co-Author of "Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans"

Travels From Travels From:
Boston, MA, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Live Event: $10,000 - $20,000
Virtual Event: $5,000 - $10,000
More Fee Info
Categories Categories:
Categories Categories:
Anti-Racism, Author, Black Heritage, College, DEI, Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, Female Leadership, Performing Arts, Personal Growth, Professors, Real Estate, Social Activism, Social Entrepreneurship
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Taneshia Nash Laird Biography

Taneshia Nash Laird is a visionary cultural strategist, entrepreneur, and educator whose work centers on Black economic empowerment through ownership, creativity, and leadership. She serves as the executive director of Project REAP, the nation’s longest-running initiative to advance racial equity in commercial real estate, and is an associate professor at Berklee College of Music, where she teaches entrepreneurship in Black creative expression.

A former turnaround CEO of the historic Newark Symphony Hall, Laird raised over $15 million and launched workforce development programs serving the city's predominantly Black and Latino residents. She also co-founded MIST Harlem, a multimillion-dollar entertainment venue that operated in New York City, showcasing Black and diasporic culture through film, food, and music. Her leadership across the arts, real estate, and policy has earned her gubernatorial appointments in two states, including to the New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zone Authority and the Massachusetts Cultural Policy Development Advisory Council.

She is the co-author of "Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans," and has been a featured speaker at Harvard University, Berklee College of Music, Princeton University, Kenyon College, and The College of New Jersey.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Taneshia Nash Laird and other top speakers and celebrities.

BOOK Taneshia Nash Laird

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 07/18/2025.

Taneshia Nash Laird Speaking Topics

  • Leadership & Legacy for Professionals of Color

    Step Into Your Power

    This keynote delivers a powerful call to action for emerging and established professionals of color to lead with confidence, clarity, and community. Taneshia Nash Laird explores what it means to own your story in spaces where you may be underestimated—and how to turn that story into leverage, impact, and legacy. Drawing on decades of experience in the arts, commercial real estate, and economic development, she invites audiences to reject tokenism, lead authentically, and build networks rooted in purpose and excellence. Ideal for ERGs, DEI conferences, professional associations, and students preparing for transformative career journeys.

    Attendee Results:

    • Gain tools to confidently lead in spaces where you're underestimated
    • Learn how to build authentic, purpose-driven professional networks
    • Reframe your story as a source of power and platform for impact
    • Identify ways to use your career as a vehicle for legacy and collective change

  • Residency: Experiential Learning & Campus Engagement

    Entrepreneur-in-Residence: Black Creative Arts Entrepreneurship

    This immersive 1–2 day residency brings Taneshia Nash Laird’s course at Berklee College of Music directly to your campus. Designed for students of the arts, business, and social innovation, the experience blends keynote presentations with interactive workshops, small-group pitch sessions, and student advising. Participants learn how to turn their creative ideas into viable ventures while staying grounded in cultural authenticity. This program is ideal for institutions committed to preparing diverse students for leadership in both nonprofit and for-profit sectors.

    Attendee Results:

    • Learn a framework for launching culturally rooted creative ventures
    • Participate in hands-on ideation and feedback sessions
    • Understand real-world pathways to ownership and impact
    • Engage directly with a nationally recognized entrepreneur-educator

  • Arts Leadership & Institutional Transformation

    Reclaim, Rebuild, Reimagine

    How do you breathe new life into a legacy institution while honoring its community roots? Taneshia Nash Laird shares her experience as turnaround CEO of the historic Newark Symphony Hall, where she raised over $15 million and launched workforce initiatives in a predominantly Black and Latino city. This talk unpacks how to lead with equity, fundraise in under-resourced spaces, and design programs that create both cultural relevance and economic opportunity. It’s a must for civic leaders, nonprofit boards, foundation professionals, and anyone building institutions of lasting value.

    Attendee Results:

    • Understand strategies for revitalizing legacy institutions through equity-centered leadership
    • Learn how to fundraise and build stakeholder trust in under-resourced communities
    • Gain tools for creating programming that blends cultural mission with workforce development
    • Explore how to lead boldly while honoring community history and identity

Taneshia Nash Laird Books

  • Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans
    Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans

FAQs on booking Taneshia Nash Laird

  • How do I book Taneshia Nash Laird to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Taneshia Nash Laird for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Taneshia Nash Laird, 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 Taneshia Nash Laird or any other speaker of your choice.

  • What are the speaker fees for Taneshia Nash Laird

    Speaking fees for Taneshia Nash Laird, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Taneshia Nash Laird are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Taneshia Nash Laird, click the Check Availability 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 Taneshia Nash Laird speak about?

    Taneshia Nash Laird is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Anti-Racism, Author, Black Heritage, College, DEI, Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, Female Leadership, Performing Arts, Personal Growth, Professors, Real Estate, Social Activism, Social Entrepreneurship.

  • Where does Taneshia Nash Laird travel from?

    Taneshia Nash Laird generally travels from Boston, MA, 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.

  • Who is Taneshia Nash Laird’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Taneshia Nash Laird 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 Availability 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 Taneshia Nash Laird 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 Taneshia Nash Laird 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, unbiased 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.

Taneshia Nash Laird is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Leadership & Legacy for Professionals of Color, Residency: Experiential Learning & Campus Engagement and Arts Leadership & Institutional Transformation. The estimated speaking fee range to book Taneshia Nash Laird for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Taneshia Nash Laird generally travels from Boston, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jamira Burley, Fatimah Gilliam, Felecia Hatcher, Kimberly Bryant and Alexis Alston. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Taneshia Nash Laird for an upcoming live or virtual event.

BOOK Taneshia Nash Laird

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

Need Quick Answers?

We are happy to help! Call us to speak with a booking agent about your event or specific speaker request.

Sarah Miller
phone   1.800.698.2536
Our celebrity booking agents can:

  • Gauge interest and check availability for speaking engagements, appearances or corporate events

  • Provide you with the speaking fee to book Taneshia Nash Laird or other celebrity appearance fees

  • Give you personal recommendations for the best keynote speakers or celebrities

  • Assist you with any questions you have throughout the talent booking process

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

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.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP