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"
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.
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Taneshia Nash Laird Speaking Topics
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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
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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
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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 $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and under $10,000 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. -
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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. -
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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.
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