Rashad Rayford

Rashad Rayford profile image

About

Rashad Rayford is an award-winning speaker, actor, and poet whose work has been featured at TEDx, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. As the founder of Elevate Your Vibe, Rashad helps organizations create workplaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and connected. His keynotes and experiences blend spoken word, neuroscience, and storytelling to spark empathy, strengthen culture, and inspire action across teams and identities. A MOTH Story Hour GRANDslam champion, Rashad has partnered with companies like Tractor Supply, Best Buy, AWS, and Blue Cross Blue Shield among others to help companies amplify belonging and align their stories with the organization’s larger mission. Whether he’s leading a workshop/training or delivering his signature A D.O.S.E. of Story™ keynote, Rashad reminds audiences that inclusion isn’t just policy, it’s connection in motion.

Services

  • More than a moment: JUNETEENTH and the power of leadership ( in person)

    “More Than a Moment: Juneteenth and the Power of Leadership” is a dynamic, thought-provoking keynote that reframes Juneteenth as more than a cultural commemoration, it’s a leadership challenge, a corporate mirror, and a call to collective responsibility. Blending powerful storytelling, historical insights, and business relevance, this talk helps organizations understand how Juneteenth is not just Black history it’s American history, and it belongs to everyone. Through four core lessons, audiences are guided to see how freedom, equity, and inclusion are not side conversations but strategic imperatives.

  • Rooted in Resilience: Honoring Black History, Empowering the Future. (Virtual)

    "Rooted in Resilience: Honoring Black History, Empowering the Future" is a high-energy keynote that celebrates the historic triumphs and ongoing contributions of Black Americans, weaving together uplifting stories and spoken word to encourage a spirit of unity. This virtual or in-person session highlights the profound impact of Black History on our shared legacy, while offering an inclusive perspective that resonates with diverse audiences.

  • More than a moment: JUNETEENTH and the power of leadership ( virtual)

    “More Than a Moment: Juneteenth and the Power of Leadership” is a dynamic, thought-provoking keynote that reframes Juneteenth as more than a cultural commemoration, it’s a leadership challenge, a corporate mirror, and a call to collective responsibility. Blending powerful storytelling, historical insights, and business relevance, this talk helps organizations understand how Juneteenth is not just Black history it’s American history, and it belongs to everyone. Through four core lessons, audiences are guided to see how freedom, equity, and inclusion are not side conversations but strategic imperatives.

  • Custom Workshops & Team Trainings

    Where the keynote lights the fire, the workshop gives the tools to keep it burning. We go deeper into communication, storytelling, emotional intelligence, and inclusive leadership. Participants walk away with language, methods, and repeatable frameworks they can use in meetings, presentations, conflict and collaboration. Essentially everywhere culture lives, and grows. This is where insight becomes skill. I use my creativity as a poet to help bring alignment.

  • Rooted in Resilience: Honoring Black History, Empowering the Future"

    "Rooted in Resilience: Honoring Black History, Empowering the Future" is a high-energy keynote that celebrates the historic triumphs and ongoing contributions of Black Americans, weaving together uplifting stories and spoken word to encourage a spirit of unity. This virtual session highlights the profound impact of Black History on our shared legacy, while offering an inclusive perspective that resonates with diverse audiences.

  • A D.O.S.E. of Story™ (Signature Keynote)

    A high-energy, story-driven, entertaining experience that blends brain science with heart science. Employees learn how dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins shape how we connect, create, and communicate at work. This keynote helps people see the power of their story, the importance of belonging, and how culture is something we build together not something we wait for. It sets the tone for businesses to open the room and ignite the shift.