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  3. LeRon Barton
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LeRon Barton

TEDx
Writer, speaker, story teller
Country or state 
United States
Available to 
Global
City 
San Francisco
Fee 
Languages 
English
Volunteer
Yes

Personal Details

Bio

Imagine a time in life where you wake up and realize that now is the time to change your life and to help change the world. To shed all of your fears, doubts, and thoughts that held you back. To become a person of change. To tell your story, uplift others to tell their truth, and to be 100 % honest.. The time is now.

My name is LeRon L. Barton and I am a writer and speaker committed to fighting for social justice and helping you become your most authentic version of yourself. I have written over a hundred essay's and articles about racism, mass incarceration, politics, gender, business, and dating. My pieces have appeared in the following publications:

• Black Enterprise – A Black Man’s View: 5 Ways To Be A Better Male Ally In The Workplace

• Salon – My Reality: 10 Truths About Being Black In America

• Media Diversity – Why I Don’t Code Switch

• The Good Men Project – Men and The Need To Be Vulnerable

• Raconteur - Is Silicon Valley Using Culture Fit To Disguise Discrimination

• Elephant Journal - 7 Life Lessons From Great People

• Ravishly – Using Uber While Black

In 2018, I gave my first TEDx speech in Florence, Alabama for TEDxWilsonPark! My talk, “How I Overcame The Fear of My Stutter” described growing up with a stutter, attending school, going to job interviews, and dating with the stammer, and how I finally defeated my fear of stuttering. I have received dozens of messages from people telling me that the TEDx has inspired them to not live in fear and to pursue their dreams. To this date, “How I Overcame The Fear of My Stutter’ has been viewed over 140,000 times! Since then I have given talks at Speakers Who Dare, General Assembly, RSM, Remind, and Defy Ventures.

I give talks about the following subjects:

• Racial/Social Justice

• Overcoming Adversity

• Stuttering and Speech Disorders

• Regaining Confidence

• Redefining Masculinity

• Diversity in Technology

As someone who is dedicated to telling accurate stories and giving engaging speeches that motivate, I am eager to connect with you! To contact me, email me at [email protected]

www.leronbarton.com

Current position (2)

Writer, speaker, story teller

Writer/Speaker

Mainline Publishing

Achievements (1)
TEDX Speaker

In 2018, I gave a speech at the inaugural TEDxWilsonPark event.
My talk, "How I Overcame My Fear of Stuttering" about growing up with a stutter and defeating the challenges that come with it, has over 28,000 views on YouTube.

Degrees (1)
Computer Applications and Networking
Coleman College
1999 to 2000

Presentations

Presentations (8)
How I Overcame My Fear of Stuttering

In this exciting talk, I will explore:

My history of stuttering.

How I let my stutter hold me back from opportunities in life.

The moment I realized that I had to face my fears.

How I overcame the fear of stuttering.

How you can start to work towards your dreams.

Understanding Racism 101

I gave a talk at Great Assembly about racism/white supremacy. The conversation consisted of:

Understanding systemic racism
The history of white supremacy in America
Interpersonal racism in relationships
Examining your own prejudices
Anti-racism and allyship

#DoSomething: The Understanding of Race, History, and Why You Need To Be An Ally

This talk will step viewers through the following:

The origins of racism in the United States.

How racism affects African-American's today.

Unconscious Bias and why we all have them.

The murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery.

The importance of Allyship and what you can do to fight racism.

Unmasking The Problem: Race, Bias, and Microaggressions

I give a talk that discusses
what Bias is,
racism,
how micoraggressions are common,
what it is like to be the only Black and Brown person in the office, impact vs, intent,
what you would need to do to practice allyship.

Why Men of Color Need To Embrace Mental Health

Black and Latino face challenges everyday due to their race and maleness. Society sometimes sees us as criminals, sexual deviants, and threats. We are impacted by the criminal justice system, unhoused, and unemployed at very rates. In our communities, we are often told to be tough, boys don’t cry, and be a man. Because of this, when we have depression, feel uncertainty, and deal with challenges, we are not encouraged to express them. Unfortunately, this can lead to isolation, loneliness, alcohol and drug abuse, and even violent outbursts. In this conversation, I will discuss why I feel we need to break away from the long held beliefs of not seeing a therapist, being vulnerable, seeking healthy outlets for our feelings, my story of finding a therapist, and why Black and Brown men should embrace mental health.

The Power of Telling Your Story

Today, even in a multi-cultural society with different races, sexual orientations, and genders, the general narrative is still dominated by white, straight people. Because of this, we are not able to see and hear different experiences. This is due to access, discrimination, and people feeling as if their story is not valid. In this talk, I will discuss why it important for everyone to tell their story, why it is important, how it illuminates the world, and by giving a chance for everyone to speak, it can inspire others to do the same.

Being Black in Tech

The technology is one of the most innovative fields today. Life changing software, equipment that powers our everyday existence, and apps we cannot do without have been produced by tech. However, as exciting as technology hubs such as Silicon Valley are, they still have a problem with race and diversity. Black and Latino people make up 4% to 5% of the work force at major tech firms, and that points to a very important issue. As a Black man who has been in tech for over 20 years, I will talk about my experiences, challenges, suggestions for people who want to enter the field, and what I would like to see changed in technology.

The Psychological Impact of Racism/White Supremacy

In this discussion, we talk about how the everyday effects of racism can change a person’s life. We will define the terms “Microaggressions,” “Code-switching”, “Imposters Syndrome”, see how PTSD exists in Black and Brown communities, and how we can battle with these challenges.

Past talks (4)
Speaker, Panelist
Juneteenth: Understanding Whitness and Becoming An Ally
Online
June 19, 2020
Speaker
Overcoming fear and obstacles to greatness
SFMTA, San Francisco, Ca
Speaker
Speakers Who Dare
Online, New York, New York
March 24, 2020
Speaker - How Backpacking Through Central Ameica Gave Me A New Life
Pechakucha SF
San Francisco, Ca
June 6, 2019
  • All (3)
  • Videos
  • Photos (1)
  • Slides (1)
  • One sheet (1)
This speaker hasn't uploaded any videos yet.
Pink makes me smile
Pink makes me smile
TEDxWilsonPark - How I Overcame My Fear of Stuttering
LeRon L. Barton Speaker Sheet
This speaker hasn't uploaded any press information yet.

Books & Articles (10)

Straight Dope: A 360 Degree Look Into American Drug Culture
Mainline Publishing,
2013
All We Really Need Is Love: Stories of Dating, Relationships, Heartbreak, and Marriage
Mainline Publishing,
2015
A Black Man's View: 5 Ways To Be A Better Male Ally In The Workplace
10 (often painful) Truths About Being Black In America
Is Silicon Valley using culture fit to disguise discrimination?
Men and The Need To Be Vulnerable
Is Silicon Valley Using Culture Fit To Disguise Discrimination
Being A Black Man In America Means Never Feeling Safe
Is Pretty Privilege Real?
Allyship Is A Verb

Expertise (17)

Social & Political
Health & Well-being
Leadership
Racism Anti-Racism stuttering Speech Communication Mass Incarceration Cultural Diversity Diversity Mindfulness in Social Justice how to overcome fear of failure Writing Storytelling diversity in tech Impactful Keynote Speaker Race

Awards & certifications (1)

CWNA
CWNP
2016

Reviews

Testimonials (15)
  • I first heard LeRon speak during a webinar hosted by my favorite HR network, StartupExperts, earlier this year. There were a few speakers, but he stood out with his frank, honest, and sometimes challenging observations about diversity in the workplace. I'm VP of People for a small SF-based company where two of our core values are being radically open-minded and obsessed with learning. Coupled with a truly supportive leadership team, we crave education and awareness around DEI. I had been planning to bring in a speaker focused on DEI, but didn't know where to start. LeRon and I talked a couple of times to see if he'd be interested in speaking with us and through our discussions, he made it so easy to frame our speaker event: an honest and raw look into the daily life of a Black man in America. LeRon is just a pleasure to talk to, but will also challenge traditional and outdated views. Given the employee feedback after the speaking event, I have no doubt that our talk enlightened my employees on so many fronts. And at Q&A, there were several variations of the question: how can I be a better ally? I absolutely loved working with LeRon and we'll definitely invite him back!
    Stephani Martin
    Verified
  • The minute LeRon started talking, I was so glad our paths crossed! He brings such a matter-of-fact approach to a discussion that suits any audience. He led our teams into a powerful dialogue while simultaneously educating us about Race, Bias, and Microaggressions. His stories were engaging, relatable, and authentic. LeRon created a safe place that allowed our employees to share their own experiences, making our conversation very engaging and interactive. We could have talked for hours! As a global tech company, our employees have been inspired to continue talking and learning. I highly recommend LeRon for all sorts of speaking engagements.
    Dru Hartshorn
    Verified
  • LeRon gave a talk at our company on the history of Juneteeth and the origins of racism in America and how it manifests and what one can do to be a part of the solution and not the problem. It was incredible! I have never had a speaker come and garner as much engagement as LeRon did. He fostered so much true discussion about tough topics and the team felt utterly energized to make a difference after his presentation. I cannot recommend LeRon enough. He is a great speaker with excellent content.
    Murph
    Verified
  • LeRon was a guest speaker at Nord Anglia International School Dubai recent event on reducing inequalities. His passion, compassion, intellect and humility allowed for a truly inspiring event where students from 11- 18 were engaged and allowed the young people to appreciate their roles as Allies and humanitarians in the fight for social justice. The ripple effect of LeRon has been great with curriculum adaptations, students voice events, debate and conversations happening in the school. We are grateful for his time and for his moral courage.
    Liam Cullinan
    Verified
  • LeRon spoke at our equality week which was a virtual even prompted by the BLM movement. LeRon was our virtual speaker who spoke to all the students in secondary form ages 11-19. His talk was insightful and allowed our students to reflect upon their own privilege's. LeRon further spoke about being an 'ally' which a turn of phrase many students had not heard before here is a video of our event and LeRon's talk, highly recommended for any similar events or key note speaker opportunities.
    BLM FINAL.mp4
    mike morley
    Verified
  • LeRon spoke with our non-profit organization (South Carolina PTA) and did an AMAZING job! This was by far one of the best presentations we've had! He is very engaging with the audience which allowed us to have very deep and meaningful discussions. We will definitely ask him to speak with us again! We appreciate everything he does and received positive feedback regarding the webinar. I STRONGLY recommend LeRon!
    Jessica Mckinley
    Verified
  • LeRon came and joined my colleagues and I for an interactive virtual session sharing guided a presentation curated specifically for our team. I appreciated the amount of detail, preparation and consideration he gave before and during the talk. I highly recommend LeRon as a speaker, presenter or guest for any engagement, he is knowledgeable across many topics and has the rare ability to speak to any type of group given his thoughtfulness and people smarts. Thank you LeRon!
    Veronica Murray
    02/19/2021
    Verified
  • LeRon joined the Student and Family Services Department for the Des Moines Public Schools to teach us about race, racism, and how we can #dosomething about it. His content was exactly what our group needed and was relevant to our needs as educators in the largest urban school district in the state of Iowa. The interaction and involvement from our group, the questions, the thoughts, and the discussion were enlightening and eye opening. The whole group walked away knowing they had learned something new and found ways to change their thinking. LeRon's passion and expertise empowered all of us to focus on living in a brave space!
    Melissa
    Verified
  • My first interaction with LeRon was a training put on by United Way featuring him on "Exploring Microaggressions." The audience had various types of individuals from different industries and titles, but his 90 minute presentation was so awesome I had to get him to do a similar training for our law firm. When reaching out to LeRon he was able to tailor the content on microaggressions and expand it out to macroaggressions as it pertains to the law firm experience and he knocked it out the park! LeRon's session was very interactive and he had an innate way to create a safe space where people felt comfortable being open. He was very professional, friendly, and provided a lot of insight for our employees to continue conversations on their own. I highly recommend him to speak to your company or group on micro/macroaggressions as well as other focused topics that affect people daily!!!
    Alexandria M Ray
    Verified
  • LeRon Barton volunteered with us for a talk to middle and high school students, regarding Racial Discrimination in America. I believe his insight was truly remarkable on the subject, and his openness to confronting deep questions about the matter really engaged the students with his talk. I'm grateful for this opportunity of working together to deliver this talk and inform students more on racism and how to prevent such behaviors from happening.
    Global Talks: LeRon Barton | July 20th | The Global MUN 2021
    Mau Muñoz
    Verified
  • I happened to come across LeRon while searching for speaker ideas and I'm so glad I did! He was professional, engaging, and incredibly knowledgable - from the first introduction to our event. LeRon created an environment on our Zoom event that many participants shared they hadn't experienced before. Everyone felt seen, heard, and valued. That's a testament to how LeRon plans and leads his events! I couldn't have imagined it'd be received so well and I only wish we had had more time to learn from him. I highly recommend LeRon for speaking engagements.
    Jessica Carlino
    Verified
  • LeRon Barton spoke to our students over zoom at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on racial discrimination in the United States. Rather than simply giving a “talk,” it was very much a two-way conversation between himself and the students. The dialogue was extremely engaging and he elicited involvement from the students frequently. We all very much responded to LeRon’s insight, which was deeply powerful and thoughtful. I would highly recommend LeRon for any speaking event!
    Ian Hale
    Verified
  • Yesterday, LeRon Barton an effective presenter, wowed our team! United Way of Greater Los Angeles had the pleasure of having LeRon be our honorary guest in celebration of Black History Month. Our team had a great experience with LeRon’s presentation, “The importance of sharing your story! His presentation touched on the importance of telling your story and why some may be afraid to do so. As well the complications of code switch, lack or representation and imposter syndrome that many BIPOC have to navigate. LeRon not only did the talking but got our team to engage in a vulnerable dialogue. Our team felt comfortable and got invaluable experience. Thank you, LeRon for making our experience fun, lively, educational, and authentic!
    Xochitl Flores
    Verified
  • As a guest speaker, LeRon provided students and staff from the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Program at Middlesex College with an educational presentation and open discussion about “Race, Equity, and the Psychological Impact of White Supremacy.” LeRon was well received by the audience! Students and staff described him as interactive, personable, and highly informative. LeRon created a safe virtual space to discuss topics that are prevalent in the world but are not discussed enough. LeRon informed our scholars about the mental health toll of racism, microaggressions, and code switching. LeRon’s presentation also allowed students and staff to explore concepts like imposter syndrome and PTSD within Black and brown communities, We hope that this review, as well as the following student testimonial, will highlight the impact of this talk— “I now understand some topics better (such as imposters syndrome) and can share this information with my friends who are also interested in discussions like these.” Thank you, LeRon, for providing the EOF program at Middlesex College with such an insightful workshop! Follow us on Instagram @MC_EOF to see a recap of the event.
    Yvette Peralta
    Verified
  • LeRon is an authentic and inspirational speaker! He was our keynote for several hundred students for a business pitch competition. We are so grateful for LeRon and highly recommend his work!
    Kat Miranda
Recommendations
19 Audience
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Why choose me? 

I am a writer and speaker that focuses on race, social justice, self esteem, and telling your story!

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