Looking for a speaker who inspires innovative solutions to global and business challenges? Adah Parris is an artist, activist, and expert keynote speaker who can transform how you approach change, leadership, and culture. With unique expertise in various fields, Adah helps individuals and organisations create positive impact and leave a lasting legacy. Contact Adah or your favourite speaking bureau today to learn more.

Here are a few examples of the topics Adah covers during her speaking engagements

"How Nature Can Unlock AI’s Potential for Systemic Regeneration"

In this though-provoking keynote Adah presents a strategic approach for leveraging AI in harmony with environmental principles to drive innovation and sustainable growth. This presentation outlines the practical integration of AI with insights derived from natural systems, emphasising the value of ethical AI development and leadership strategies that prioritise long-term ecological sustainability and business resilience. Attendees will explore actionable frameworks for enhancing AI's impact through environmental mindfulness, ensuring their initiatives contribute positively to both their organisations and the wider ecosystem. Parris delivers a compelling case for adopting a forward-thinking approach to AI, demonstrating how businesses can achieve competitive advantage and sustainability by aligning technology with nature's blueprint for regeneration.

Audience Takeaways:

1. Innovative Integration Strategies: Gain practical strategies for infusing AI initiatives with environmental insights, aiming to boost organisational innovation and efficiency by applying natural principles of balance and resilience.

2. Ethical AI Development Guidelines: Acquire a solid understanding of how to apply ethical guidelines rooted in centuries-old ecological knowledge and practices to the development and application of AI, ensuring responsible innovation.

3. Sustainability-Driven Leadership Tactics: Learn actionable tactics for leading with a focus on ecological sustainability and ethical responsibility, leveraging insights from traditional practices to drive regenerative business growth.

4. Blueprints for Sustainable Business Practices: Receive concrete guidance on utilising AI to not only advance business objectives but also enhance environmental sustainability, contributing positively to both society and the global ecosystem.

5. Strategies for Leading Transformational Change: Be inspired to take on a leadership approach that harmonises technological progress with environmental stewardship, charting a path toward a future where business success and ecological sustainability are interlinked.

“Take only memories, leave only footprints.": Cultivating Timeless Change in the Now”

Explore a transformative leadership approach that combines ‘vision quests’ foresight, ‘radical presence’ in decision-making, and a focus on uncovering hidden organisational dynamics, all while embracing the patience required for impactful and lasting change. This talk inspires leaders to think and act beyond their tenure, laying the groundwork for a legacy of sustainable success and positive organisational transformation.

(Quote by Chief Seattle)

What will the audience learn:

1. Strategies to integrate vision quest insights into business planning for long-term success and adaptability. Gain insights on incorporating the profound clarity and foresight obtained from vision quest experiences into strategic business planning. Learn to interpret and apply these insights to forecast future trends, adapt to changes, and make informed decisions that align with your organisation's long-term goals and values.

2. Techniques for practising radical presence to enhance immediate decision-making while keeping an eye on future impacts. Explore techniques to enhance your decision-making process by being radically present and mindful. Understand how to balance being fully engaged in the current moment with an awareness of long-term consequences.

3. Methods to identify and leverage unseen potentials and challenges within organisations for holistic growth. Delve into methodologies for uncovering hidden opportunities and addressing latent challenges within your organisation.

“The possible has been tried and failed. Now it's time to try the impossible”: Art, Storytelling, and Transforming Perception

Join with Adah Parris on an avant-garde journey inspired by the innovative realms of Othered Futurisms and Afro Surrealism, where we embrace the unconventional and push boundaries. This exploration highlights a vision distinct from the Global North's techno-centric futurism, focusing on cultural reclamation, social justice, spiritual connections, and environmental consciousness. Discover how art and storytelling’s transformative power, infused with creativity, symbolism, and cultural resonance, can revolutionise our worldviews and lead us toward a more harmonious future.

(*Quote by AfroFuturist, Sun Ra)

What will the audience learn:

1. Unlock the power of creativity to bridge tradition and innovation. Discover how to blend traditional methods and innovative concepts creatively to solve problems and envision futures.

2. Embrace symbols as potent tools for conveying complex ideas. Explore the art of using symbolism to communicate intricate and abstract concepts effectively.

3. Enrich narratives through multimedia storytelling experiences. Learn how to leverage various media forms, from digital art and video to interactive platforms, to create rich, engaging narratives.

4. Challenge conventional thinking and embrace the surreal for transformative storytelling. Delve into techniques for challenging the status quo through storytelling that embraces the surreal and unconventional.

Belonging and kinship in the age of 1s and 0s

Overview

This talk explores the concept of belonging in an increasingly digitally connected world and suggests an alternative approach to understanding it through the lens of "relational ecology," which emphasises sustainable relationships with others and the world around us. The talk also raises important questions about the role of artificial intelligence in facilitating these relationships, the need for inclusivity and respect for diversity in fostering kinship, and the importance of a Long-Now mindset in creating cultures and ecosystems that promote growth and transformation. Ultimately, the talk suggests that focusing on connections with others and the world may be the key to creating a sense of belonging and well-being.

What will the audience learn?

1. That belonging is a complex concept that can be approached from various angles, including through the lens of relational ecology.

2. That relationships with others and with the world around us are crucial to our well-being and should be considered in the development of technology and artificial intelligence.

3. The development of the metaverse brings up issues of elitism and democratisation, which should be carefully considered.

4. That exploring new hierarchy of needs highlights the importance of intimacy and belonging in human life, but we should recognise and foster kinship in a way that is inclusive and respectful of diversity.

5. That by taking a living systems approach to life, we can create cultures and ecosystems that are in a state of growth and transformation, and in which individuals feel inspired to contribute to the greater good.

Charting the Future: Balance, Chaos, and Storytelling in Digital Realms

Overview

Adah Parris embarks on a journey into the metaverse and extended reality (XR), illuminating how the balance and chaos of the cosmos can shape these emerging digital platforms into arenas for creative, collaborative exploration and multidimensional storytelling. Stressing the crucial roles of diversity and inclusion, she underscores the innovative spirit needed to harness these technologies fully. Yet, Parris offers a cautionary perspective on the risks of a digital divide, highlighting the imperative for inclusivity and accessibility within these virtual spaces. Her insights serve as a call to action for leaders to navigate the challenges of the metaverse and XR thoughtfully, ensuring equitable access and preventing these advancements from becoming gatekept realms.

What will the audience learn?

1. Futuristic Storytelling and Ethical Innovation: Combine pioneering narrative techniques in the metaverse and XR with a strong ethical foundation, ensuring stories not only captivate but also embody societal values and sustainability. This approach should weave the cosmic dance of balance and chaos, highlighting the universal truths that connect us all, while promoting eco-conscious narratives that inspire action for the planet's health.

2. Democratising Digital Narratives: Address the digital divide by ensuring universal access to storytelling within these new realms. Champion inclusivity and diversity, making sure every story told bridges gaps and empowers voices from all corners of society, thereby fostering a rich tapestry of narrative universes that reflect the full spectrum of human experience.

3. Leadership in Narrative Exploration: As storytellers and leaders, navigate the uncharted territories of digital innovation with vision and empathy. Harness the inherent chaos of the metaverse and XR as a creative catalyst, encouraging the exploration of diverse, engaging, and transformative stories that resonate on a deeply human level.

4. Interconnected Communities and Sustainable Development: Prioritise the creation of digital spaces that reflect the collaborative essence of the universe, emphasising decentralised, interconnected communities. Align technological advancements with practices that ensure the long-term sustainability of our digital and physical worlds, advocating for a harmonious balance between technological progress and environmental stewardship.

5. Embracing Complexity with Adaptive Strategies: View the dynamic digital landscape's complexity and unpredictability as opportunities for groundbreaking innovation. Draw on nature's resilience and the adaptable strategies found in the cosmic interplay of forces to thrive within digital ecosystems, enhancing user engagement and understanding through multidimensional storytelling.