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  As Director of the Hayden Planetarium and the host of PBS NOVA Science NOW, Dr. Tyson is one of the most high profile astrophysicists in America. Tyson is always working to pique the scientific curiosity of a new generation of young people. His recent books include "One Universe: At Home in the Cosmos," "Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries," "Origins," and "The Pluto Files."
 Leading the battle for environmental justice, from dealing with the toxic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to curbing urban sprawl, Dr. Bullard tells the stories of frontline warriors who are fighting environmental and human rights abuses. His research and activism challenges government and industry policies that place people of color and the poor at special risk. He is the author of 15 books, including “Race, Place, and Environmental Justice After Hurricane Katrina."
.jpg) Essayist Richard Rodriguez discusses how America – and
every American - is shaped
by the continual interaction
of cultures, blurring boundaries
between “black”
and “white,” Hispanic
and Anglo. He is the author
of the critically acclaimed
books "Hunger
of Memory," "Days of Obligation:
An Argument With My Mexican
Father" and "Brown:
The Last Discovery of America."
 Dr. Reagon is a Freedom Singer who highlights her forty year journey as a cultural activist, scholar and artist. Founder of 'Sweet Honey In the Rock,' she renders her passionate convictions in a moving and memorable mixture of song and spoken word, drawing on the life stories of 19th and 20th century African American women whose struggles for freedom guide her in this moving presentation.
 Cult movie icon in the Evil Dead series, star on the hit TV show Burn Notice, and author of books like "If Chins Could Kill", Bruce Campbell's multimedia talk offers a hilarious and insightful look at his career and Hollywood pretension.
 Among the most honored and versatile of writers, Frank Deford's work has appeared in virtually every medium. The dean of America's sportswriters, he exposes the hype and hypocrisy that often goes on in sports today. Best known for his commentary in Sports Illustrated and on National Public Radio, he is also the author of Everybody's All American and other books.
 A world-renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator, and one of the most widely read American poets, Giovanni remains as determined and committed as ever to the fight for civil rights and equality. Her focus is on the individual, specifically, on the power one has to make a difference in oneself, and thus, in the lives of others.
 NBC News National Correspondent Lisa Myers is a frequent panelist on "Meet The Press" and "NBC Today". She has covered six Presidential elections, and is highly regarded for her investigative reports. Her political reporting has been called "astute and clever".
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 Jeff Lieberman is the star of Discovery Channel's Time Warp, where cool science is s-l-o-w-e-d down to better understand movement as an art form. Lieberman is also a musician, roboticist, sculptor and photographer.
 Could the food you eat or the floors you walk on be toxic? Praised as "the new Rachel Carson" for her groundbreaking book "Living Downstream," Steingraber raises awareness of how toxins all around us adversely affect our health. She takes a personal and scientific look at the ecological links to cancer and other medical problems, and offers insight into how we can protect our environment and ourselves. Her new documentary Living Downstream, based on her highly-acclaimed book, was released in early 2010. [Photo Credit: Dede Hatch]
 A true Renaissance man, Johnson is a poet, Buddhist philosopher, novelist, teacher, cartoonist, screenwriter and essayist. His writing, including the National Book Award winning novel, "Middle Passage," braids history, philosophy and artistry to show how the power of the past shapes the present. His engaging speaking style draws the audience into an unforgettable dialogue.
 Veteran journalist Robin Wright is an expert on the most volatile region - The Middle East. So now she asks: with Obama in the White House, how will the new administration regard foreign policy? What are the changing strategies and where do we stand on issues ranging from Iraq to Afghanistan, Russia to China, Energy to Terrorism? Wright provides insight into the world from the side hardly seen.
 A leading organizer in the Chinese student democracy movement, he is among forty-nine individuals blacklisted by the Beijing government. As research fellow at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, and President of The Foundation For China In The 21st Century, he continues to provide a forceful and unique perspective on this historic struggle. Jianli Yang, returned to his adopted home in 2007 in the United States after five years in Chinese prisons.
 A powerful storyteller, Mann's most recent book "1491" explores the history of the Americas before Columbus. A three-time National Magazine Award finalist, he has received awards for his articles and books on everything from emerging technologies to the business of medicine to endangered species. [ Photo Credit Josh D'Aluisio-Guerrieri ]
 Author and columnist Calvin Trillin has been acclaimed in fields of writing that are remarkably diverse. His wry commentary on the American scene and his books chronicling his adventures as a "happy eater" have earned him renown as "a classic American humorist." His books include Remembering Denny, Travels with Alice, About Alice, Alice, Let's Eat: Further Adventures of a Happy Eater, and The Tummy Trilogy.
 One of this country's most distinguished legal scholars and civil rights activists, Derrick Bell explores race, identity, cultural diversity, ethics and the law. He is the author of Silent Covenants: Brown v. Board and The Unfulfilled Hopes for Racial Reform, Ethical Ambition, and Faces at the Bottom of the Well.
 With his work both praised and attacked for the forceful vision and social critiques they bring to audiences, the provocative director and producer has become an American film icon, and continues to lead the way in defining the African American experience for millions of people. Lee talks about movies, money, race and the need for greater diversity in film, media and life.
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