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Ashley Judd          

Actress, Activist & Humanitarian

Heralded for starring in both box office hits and for her unforgettable performances in independent films, Ashley Judd is a renowned actress, humanitarian, and political activist. She has a career that spans over three decades, with notable roles in films such as Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, Where the Heart Is, and High Crimes. Judd has also made a significant impact on the small screen, earning a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her role in the 2012 television series 'Missing."

One of the most vocal and influential figures of the #MeToo movement, Judd was named to TIME's "Person of the Year" as one of the silence-breakers and change-makers who helped shift the culture and conversation around sexual abuse and harassment. A feminist and social justice humanitarian, Judd has worked internationally with NGOs, grassroots organizations, governments, and supranational bodies. She serves as a Global Goodwill Ambassador for the UNFPA, a member of the advisory board for Apne Aap Women Worldwide, and is the Chairperson of the Women’s Media Center Speech Project: Curbing Abuse, Expanding Freedom. Adding to her commendable humanitarian efforts, Judd has traveled with YouthAIDS to places affected by illness and poverty and has narrated three documentaries for the organization.

As an actress and a public speaker, Judd's films and speeches tell very personal stories-- which is exactly what she does at speaking engagements. A voice for the often voiceless, Judd speaks on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves. She has been active on the speakers' circuit, giving speeches about gender equality, abuse, and humanitarian topics. She also dives into topics of women's rights, mental health, the environment, advocacy, and more.

Judd began her lifelong activism at the tender age of 19 when she organized a campus-wide walkout of classes at the University of Kentucky to protest the use of the “N-word" by a revered member of the Board of Trustees at the university. Not only has she been indefatigable for racial justice and equality ever since, but she proudly supports sports at her alma mater and has further pursued academia with a mid-career MPA degree from Harvard Kennedy School and enrollment at UC Berkeley to pursue a Ph.D. in Public Policy. Her young activism flourished from there, soon encompassing the anti-apartheid movement and America's marital rape laws.

Some of the many highlights of three decades of activism include her iconic and courageous Nasty Woman speech at the Women’s March in 2017, which garnered tens of millions of views, her support of Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2008, and her endorsement of Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren in her run for the presidency in 2020. Judd was also appointed Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS, promoting AIDS prevention and treatment, and has been involved in HIV/AIDS counseling and testing initiatives. She shows no signs of slowing down her activism or her acting, continually striving to bring about change and tell stories that matter.

Speech Topics


To Tell Their Stories

A glamorous film and stage actress might be the last person you'd expect to be holding the hand of a child in a slum in Mumbaior traveling to Kenya, South Africa, Thailand, Cambodia and India to talk about condom use, hygiene and sanitation, legal empowerment, or access to micro-financing. She might not be who you'd picture visiting with families in Appalachia whose children draw water as black or red because they don't know creek water is supposed to run clear--or who listens to stories of busted unions and miners with chronic health problems. Ashley Judd is such a person.

From horrifying brothels and degrading slums in Third World countries to environmentally ravaged communities here in America, Judd is committed to telling the stories of the people she meets. Far from being a perfect "Mother Teresa-like" figure, Judd has been very open about her own struggles, including depression. She believes that mental illness need not be treated with a sense of secrecy or stigma, and that her own journey has made her an even more effective advocate for others facing their own issues.

"Because I finally faced my past, and realized that where I come from, and what happened to me, and how I participated, is not who I am -- today I can live happy, joyous, and free," says Judd. Judd is an impressive presenter, stunning audiences with information that not only educates, but stirs the spirit. Articulate, passionate, but not without humor, Judd's experiences regarding the human condition are universal principles, applicable to all, whatever their personal creed.

One does not have to travel the world as she does in order to make a difference. Judd shares her experiences and the power one voice has to impact the lives of others. To hear Ashley Judd speak is to be forever moved and inspired to action.

News


Ashley Judd: Women, we are in the fight of our lives
We owe a mighty mountain of gratitude to Justice Ginsburg for leading the way, and now we must move her legacy forward, writes Ashley Judd, even when faced with a Supreme Court nominee who would likely haul us back in time. The smart way to honor Ginsburg now is turn out the vote in massive waves and to vote for Biden and Harris.

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