GS01 KEYNOTE: Digital Storytelling Doesn’t Have to Be Boring
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Tuesday, March 26
Executive Ballroom
There’s too much content in the world; getting people’s attention is, like life, hard. Baratunde Thurston was a political blogger for four years, ran digital strategy for The Onion for five years, authored the New York Times bestselling book How To Be Black, which continues to find life on Instagram, and lives to engage communities and tell stories in fun and empathetic ways. His energetic keynote will mix laughter with actionable insights that will transform how you see digital storytelling in your own work.

Baratunde Thurston
Futurist comedian, writer, and activist
Baratunde Thurston is a futurist comedian, cultural critic, and author of the New York Times bestseller How To Be Black. Mr. Thurston co-founded Jack & Jill Politics, a black political blog whose coverage of the 2008 Democratic National Convention was archived by the Library of Congress. From 2007 to 2012 he was director of digital for The Onion, and served a similar role at The Daily Show. Mr. Thurston has been honored by the ACLU, advised the White House, and serves on the national board of BUILD, an organization that uses entrepreneurship-based experiential learning to propel underserved youth through high school on to college and career success. Fast Company listed him as one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business, and The Root named him to its list of 100 most influential African-Americans. He holds a degree in philosophy from Harvard University.