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DAN

PARRIS

ARE YOU READY TO COME ALIVE,
TACKLE WHAT BREAKS YOUR HEART
AND DO WHAT MATTERS?

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"EVERYONE LOVED IT! The Dean of Undergraduate Studies can't stop talking about how well it went. In fact he mentioned it again in a meeting last week."

ERIC
Rivier University

Speaking Reel

Speaking Reel

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ABOUT DAN

Dan's mission is to inspire nonprofits, social entrepreneurs
and college students to do what matters.

He inspires people to bring their ideas to life and tackle the injustices that break their heart so they can change the world, live a great story and train others along the way. Dan utilizes his rare personal experiences of surviving a deadly plane crash in Kenya, traveling the world living on $1.25/day and experiencing lots of disappointment (and success) as an entrepreneur to bring his message to his audience. His conversational style, humor and passion make him a speaker that can relate to nearly any audience.

Dan Parris is a keynote speaker, award-winning filmmaker and entrepreneur. As a keynote speaker, he’s spoken to audiences nationwide on the ability regular people have to make a huge difference in the world. He’s spoken at TEDx, SXSW EDU, NCAN & NSPA National Conferences, and 10 NACA Lecture Showcases. He’s spoken at over a hundred universities nationwide. He’s also the director of the feature length documentaries Show Me Democracy, What Matters? and When the Saints. He is a co-founder/director at Speak Up Studios which focuses on non-profit video storytelling.

Dan loves Jesus, pickleball, Hip Hop, craft beer flights, small cutting boards and big ideas. He lives in St. Louis, MO with his wife and 4 kids.

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ABOUT

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"I've had quite a bit of feedback from faculty, staff, and students about how pleased and INSPIRED they were."

LIZ
Alfred State, Director of Multicultural Affairs

SPEAKING TOPICS

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CAN I REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
A GAME PLAN TO IDENTIFY & PURSUE YOUR PURPOSE

We all want to pursue our purpose and want to change the world in the process. The trouble is figuring out how to start, overcome doubt, connect with a mentor, push through struggles that are bound to come and ultimately, leave the world better than you found it.

TAKE AWAY

your two questions that will help you identify your purpose

the Ladder - A 3 stage visual that helps breaks down the major social injustices of our time

the 3 T’s and how they apply to pursuing your purpose

the 5 Stages you will face as a changemaker

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DEAR FELLOW WHITE CHRISTIAN

White privilege, white silence, white supremacy, white guilt...the list goes on. “White” is the new adjective and let’s be honest, most “white” folks (well any folks for that matter) don’t like a negative word coming after their people group. However, as white Christians, we know that God not only cares about our relationship with Him but our relationships with our fellow humans (remember that Golden Rule?) The thing is many of our Black brothers and sisters aren’t so sure how much we care about them and for good reason.

CONTEMPLATE

what us White Christians have to recognize about systemic racism

how systemic racism applies to so much more than police violence

what us White Christians don’t also have to agree with to fight systemic racism

what us White Christians should do about systemic racism

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YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SPECTACULAR
LESSONS LEARNED FROM A PLANE CRASH

Mr. Rogers said “You don’t have to do anything spectacular to be loved.” When I was 25, my friends & I traveled the world on $1/day making a documentary to help end extreme poverty in the world. However, my journey was cut short by a deadly plane crash that left me badly injured and feeling lost about my purpose and identity. When I first heard that quote by Mr. Rogers, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Had my pursuit of success with that project (and every major project since) been at its core an attempt to prove I am worthy to be loved?

LEARN

how where our identity lies guides all our endeavors

why the internal battle is always greater than the external battle

about the rat race of success and how it's offset by the mundane

why the most successful people rest and the theory of 12

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SPEAKING

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"One of our event programmers said it was one of the BEST they had seen so far. It was very well attended."

ELISA
Spokane Falls Community College

FILM ENDEAVORS

Using my voice to tell stories and inspire audiences
beyond the microphone and behind the camera.

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SPEAK UP PRODUCTIONS
Documentaries

Dan’s St. Louis based video production company that makes films about what matters. It is the hub for most of his work where you can learn more about all of Dan’s past films.

SPEAK UP STUDIOS
Nonprofits

Dan is the co-founder of Speak Up Studios which is solely focused on video and content creation for nonprofits and social causes. Contact us for your nonprofit video needs.

VISION (SHORT FILM)
Passion Project

A short film and passion project directed and co-written by Dan. Once completed, it will be touring across the U.S. starting conversations about the “Vision” we have for our under-resourced communities.

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CONSULTING
Lending A Helping Hand

Dan is passionate about helping filmmakers make a living at their craft and pursuing their dreams in this industry. Are you stuck, confused or struggling in your filmmaking journey? Dan would love to help!

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IN MOTION
Education

In Motion is an educational resource for filmmakers who live outside major film hubs. Dan founded the conference and the organization is expanding into podcasting and other avenues.

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CONTINUITY
Diversity

Continuity’s mission is to expand diversity in media productions through skills-based training, mentorship and opportunities for untapped talent. Dan is a co-founder, mentor and former executive director.

FILM

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"Dan was WARM AND HONEST while speckling humor into the conversation in a way the kept the students comfortable . . . I would recommend him to any school!"

LAUREN
Teacher at Westminister Christian Acadmey

PAST SPEAKING CLIENTS

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"You do it in a way that is so UNIQUE that actually makes a difference . . . (an) amazing combination of being hilarious but then so INSIGHTFUL at the same time."

KENDRA
Student Program Advisor, Bridgewater State

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CONNECT WITH ME

CONNECT

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