Available to book
Kemba Smith Pradia
Social Justice
Diversity and Inclusion
Resilience
Champion social justice with Kemba Smith Pradia, speaker and criminal justice reform advocate. Kemba has worked with The White House, state officials, and international bodies, and is a leading voice on issues including voting rights, domestic violence, and the incarceration of women.
Inspirational Female
Black History Month
Juneteenth
International Women's Day
Female Empowerment
Human Rights
MLK Day
Thought Leader
Legal
Humanitarian
Inclusion
Philanthropy
Inspirational
Kemba Smith Pradia transforms immense adversity into powerful advocacy as a leading voice for criminal justice reform, domestic violence awareness, and social justice. Her remarkable resilience was exemplified in her journey from first-time nonviolent offender sentenced to 24.5 years, to receiving a full pardon from President Biden in 2025.
After receiving clemency from President Clinton in 2000, Kemba went onto testify before Congress and the United Nations. She has served on the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission and Parole Board. Kemba is also the author of Poster Child the executive producer of the award-winning film KEMBA.
Today, Kemba helps organizations understand the human impact of criminal justice policies by connecting personal narratives to systemic issues. Her expertise illuminates the intersection of domestic violence and mass incarceration, providing actionable frameworks for meaningful reform. As an Equity in Action Visiting Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, she translates complex policy issues into accessible insights.
Audiences gain practical strategies for advocating effectively within existing systems and inspiration to transform adversity into purposeful action. Kemba's presentations combine lived experience with policy expertise, creating lasting impact across diverse sectors.
Book Kemba for an authentic voice that transforms understanding into action and inspires meaningful change in your organization.
Topics, sessions and talks
Kemba Smith Pradia recounts her transformative journey from college student and domestic violence victim to a mother sentenced to 24.5 years in federal prison. Her story highlights strength and resilience, emphasizing the importance of women leaders in advocating for community improvement. Attendees will learn about overcoming adversity, the impact of systemic issues, and the power of personal narratives in inspiring change.
Kemba Smith Pradia brings unparalleled credibility to criminal justice reform discussions as a presidential clemency recipient who transformed immense challenges into powerful advocacy. Book this remarkable speaker to gain practical strategies for social justice advocacy while inspiring your team to turn adversity into meaningful change.
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frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Email kemba.smith.pradia@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Kemba's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
Kemba Smith Pradia uses first-person narrative to recount her own criminal justice case, connecting her lived experience as a domestic violence victim and first-time nonviolent offender sentenced to 24.5 years to broader systemic policy issues, drawing on her subsequent work testifying before Congress and the United Nations to provide audiences with frameworks for advocacy within existing systems.
Kemba Smith Pradia speaks on criminal justice reform, domestic violence awareness, and overcoming adversity through personal narrative. She received clemency from President Clinton in 2000, testified before Congress and the United Nations, and received a full pardon from President Biden in 2025.
No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.
Share your event date, audience, format, objectives and budget, and PepTalk sends a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours. Each suggestion comes with a profile, a fee and a recommendation on the strongest fit. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, travel and logistics through to event day.
The typical fee range is the speaker's standard in-person fee in their home market, shown in their local currency. It moves with format, location, date and session length: virtual sessions and shorter slots usually cost less, while international travel and peak dates cost more. Send your brief to PepTalk and the team will confirm the exact fee in your currency.
Not all of them, and it makes no difference to your booking. PepTalk's network of 15,000+ speakers covers talent the team works with directly alongside speakers represented by agents and agencies worldwide. PepTalk approaches the speaker, negotiates the fee and handles contracting either way.
Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
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