Being Black is the New Black

Due to increased demand for black speakers since President Barack Obama's inauguration, Lawrence Watkins, founder of Great Black Speakers, who books movie director Spike Lee, CNN anchor Don Lemon and Gloria Jackson, the great-granddaughter of Dr. Booker T. Washington, among others, has added Kaplan Mobray, author of "The 10Ks of Personal Branding," to his prestigious, robust roster of prominent black speakers.

"We are getting requests from people who wouldn't have considered a black speaker in the past," said Watkins. "Corporations, associations and universities are increasingly booking speakers who reflect the faces of the constituents they serve and the employees they seek. It's a great time to be in the business of booking great black speakers!"

Kaplan, a Diversity leader for Deloitte and a salsa-dancing, saxophone playing motivational speaker, says that young black men tell him how emboldened they feel to see another black man in a prominent position. He encourages them to see their diversity as an asset and broaden their horizons beyond sports and entertainment.

"Now that young black men see that anything is possible they need a personal brand to make it happen!" said Kaplan. "The journey begins with self-exploration and ends with a life filled with passion and purpose."