The Origin of BlackNSA and its importance to

the National Speakers Association

Why this matters now more than ever!

It is not unusual for NSA members to ask and question the existence and mission of BlackNSA (BNSA). During these challenging times, when our country is mourning and being pulled apart, it seems counterproductive to support any group that differentiates itself from the broader community. After the death of George Floyd a week ago and the ensuing protests as a result of this tragedy, we felt it critical to look inward and share our BlackNSA voices within our NSA community.

In the absence of information, knowledge of the groups' history, or participation in our activities, it is understandable that some NSA members may be confused by the need for BlackNSA or how it serves the greater good for members of all races.

At the national conference 33 years ago, a small group of Black professional members of NSA gathered together to talk about the industry's challenges specific to speakers of color. Thelma Wells was the driving force behind this gathering working with several other speakers, who continue to support NSA today. Together, working alongside NSA, BlackNSA was formed. Its mission? To ensure every Black speaker who wanted to share their message could find a place to share it, and have support from others. The vision was to offer a forum where black speakers could discuss the unique challenges that speakers of color face in the marketplace. It was also crucial that speakers learn how to grow a successful speaking business and remain active and fulfilled as members.

Before the creation of BNSA, new members of color attended our annual conference but did not find affinity with the larger organization, resulting in them leaving the following year. When the small group of speakers of color reached out to these potential new members to find out why they did not continue membership in NSA, we were not surprised by the responses.

• Many were having challenges breaking into the industry and sustaining a speaking career.
• Many were overlooked by bureaus and had no access to career-changing meetings and conferences. 
• Speakers of color are subject to unconscious and conscious bias with limited access to the stages and topics where they can share new ideas and perspectives.
• Without a network, speakers of color have a hard time joining the speaking colleague cliques that strongly influence decision-makers at high visibility programs.

Black NSA was created with a purpose to address several critical issues:

• Help speakers of color build a successful speaking career.
• Provide fellowship and support to black speakers to help them build their careers and continue speaking and sharing their talent, knowledge, and message.
• Support the goals of the NSA.

The hope was that, over time, the speaking industry would evolve and the need for BNSA diminish as the marketplace would move forward. However, just as NSA is a mirror of the greater society, change has not come as quickly or as widespread as hoped.

Historically, Black speakers have been underrepresented on panels, overlooked by speaking bureaus, and rarely considered for decision-makers' main stage. Many speakers of color, new to NSA, have expressed frustration with being pigeonholed as a speaker for only diversity-focused sessions and not considered for other areas of substance and content.

It is not unusual to hear NSA colleagues express that the speaking world was different 33 years ago. However, today's panels still lack diversity when it comes to people of color – not to mention women and members of the LGBTQ community.  People of color are still underrepresented when presenting as the main stage keynote at major conferences. Many of our BlackNSA members are exceptional subject matter experts –yet they sit in the audience rather than delivering the keynote.

What can you do?
We continue to partner with NSA, and we need every person to be part of the solution. All NSA members are encouraged and welcomed to become part of BNSA because we all have something to share. If membership in BNSA is not your choice of how to support our group, here are several other ways you can support our goal of having more speakers of color become members of NSA and find their platform in the market:

• Build a bigger pie: Recommend a colleague of color to your meeting contact, once you have finished your program and when it is appropriate.
• Suggest a person of color for your local and national board and speaker slate.
• Expand your orbit: Network with speaking colleagues who do not look like you and make a referral based on a relationship and your knowledge of their competency.
• Diversify the Work: Invite speakers of color to your teams/committees within and outside of NSA.
• Expand the circle of colleagues you consider.  
• Amplify your Optics: Help decision-makers recognize that the optics that one speaker of color, is not a diverse slate.
• Suggest they review BlackNSA speakers to participate and suggest additional speakers so diverse speakers are not just on the roster, but they are in the room when decisions are being made to create equity in the industry.
• Look Beyond Diversity: Remember, speakers of color have all levels of subject matter expertise, beyond diversity and inclusion topics.
• Please enlighten the Bureaus you have established a relationship with and suggest colleagues who may not be listed on their site or within the bureau's scope of awareness.  

BlackNSA exists because an additional level of support for speakers of color is still needed in the marketplace. We want the relationships, skills, and resources to succeed made available to all who need them.  

It starts with awareness and the decision to take a stand to become a part of the solution and not the problem. We need all of NSA to join BlackNSA – in voice, in solidarity and making our organization and our industry better.

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