Give Your Attendees
the Keynote They Will
Still Quote in Six Months.
Darius James is the keynote speaker who becomes the defining moment of your conference. Opening, closing, or main stage, he takes every seat in the room and turns it into something nobody expected when they registered.
Education Conferences
NASSP, ASCD, state leadership summits, administrator conferences
Nonprofit Conferences
National association gatherings, cause-driven annual meetings
Leadership Conferences
Executive retreats, emerging leader convenings, superintendent gatherings
Faith-Based Conferences
Christian leadership summits, pastoral conferences, ministry events
Community Summits
City-wide youth summits, civic leadership days, public forums
Women & Diversity Conferences
ERG events, women in leadership, multicultural leadership conferences
Every Slot on Your Agenda
OPENING KEYNOTE
45 to 75 minSet the tone. Every session that follows hits harder when the room is already on fire.
Darius opens the room. He does not ease into it. He kicks the door in at 9am, and every presenter who follows benefits from the energy he built. If you need attendees engaged from minute one, this is the slot.
Book This SlotCLOSING KEYNOTE
45 to 60 minLeave the audience with something real. Not a summary. A sendoff.
The closing keynote is the last thing your attendees carry home. Darius closes the loop on the entire conference with a message that sends people out of the room changed, not just charged. The standing ovation slot.
Book This SlotGENERAL SESSION
60 to 90 minFill the main hall. Give attendees the conversation piece that defines the whole conference.
A midday general session with Darius becomes the anchor of your agenda. The thing people reference in their follow-up emails. The moment attendees describe when someone asks how the conference was.
Book This SlotWhat Makes His Talk Different
His story is a real story.
Not a highlight reel. Not a curated journey. Ypsilanti, Michigan. Army. Starting from nothing at 19. Real decisions with real stakes. Conference audiences can feel the difference between earned and performed.
He makes the room feel seen.
Whether the audience is educators, nonprofit leaders, or executives, Darius finds the thread that connects his story to their work and their lives. They do not watch from a distance. They feel included in the journey.
He does not hold back.
No corporate polish. No crowd-pleasing generalities. He says what needs to be said in the room. Conference organizers who want their attendees challenged, not just entertained, book Darius.
We've run this conference for eleven years. Darius generated more post-session discussion than any speaker we've ever had. Our attendees did not stop talking about his keynote until lunch the next day.
Reserve Your Date.
Darius's calendar fills 6 to 12 months out for major conferences. Fill out the form and his team will confirm availability within 48 hours.