Brian Maher Demo
College Campuses have never been more divided and on edge.
We have forgotten how to talk to and listen to one another with compassion, empathy and respect. In my talks I will embrace three key principles. I draw on my own experiences as a former 23-year-old Mayor, Executive Director, Navy enlisted sailor and community leader, to develop a connection that breaks through the white noise of negativity, partisanship and animosity.
Together, we expose the forces within ourselves, and the forces within society, that work to make us believe we are different when we are more similar that you could ever imagine.
About Brian Maher
Meet Brian
Brian Maher was elected Mayor of Walden, NY when he was 23 years old, giving him the distinct honor of being the youngest elected Mayor in the state. Over the past 15 years Maher has served in elected and appointed positions at the state, federal and local levels. At every level of government, he has worked to be a community leader and not just a government leader. Maher has founded several nonprofit and charitable organizations, including two hubs of the National Honor Flight Network, bringing more than 2,000 veterans to visit their memorials in Washington, D.C. on over 30 honor flight missions.
As the former Executive Director of the National Purple Heart Honor Mission and as an active enlisted reservist in the United States Navy, his focus has always been to honor veterans and serve both his country and his community.
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Maher has always been inspired by Fred Rogers and often uses Mr. Rogers quotes and his legacy of service to build on his own style of leadership. Often wearing Mr. Rogers style sweaters, Maher loves to be a positive force in our partisan and divided political process. When he speaks to students, Maher draws on his professional experiences, humor and his innate ability to inspire those around him.
When you leave his talk or workshop, you will be filled with new insights about the reality of our political process, optimism for the future and a desire to help more people become good neighbors and helpers, not just activists.
Brian Talks
Brian's Talk Topics
I help students advocate for their causes in a positive way that inspires the next generation to be good neighbors and helpers, not just activists.
Talk One
Addressing division and partisanship on a college campus
During this talk I engage students, student leaders, professors and other campus/contracted staff, or any combination. The discussion will be both serious and humorous and will involve crowd engagement. I draw from my experience running for Mayor at the age of 23 while still in college. This allows me to connect to students and members of the campus community in a more personal way. The three principles that I speak on include self-worth, listening and the concept that we are different but also the same.
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With a blend of personal experience and students’ own experiences, we dive into how we don’t always examine how we feel and rank our own self-worth. It is not easy to self-evaluate but it can be done with a few straightforward acknowledgments.
When tackling the issue of listening to our fellow students, we discuss the fact that most of us don’t actually listen as much as we wait for someone to stop speaking so that we can say what we were going to say in the first place.
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Our final principle creates an honest discussion about how we may all be different, but we are also the same in many ways.
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After this talk/experience those who take part will have the tools they need to combat division and partisanship on their respective college campus. More work has to be done in the days and weeks after. This is something we get students started with on their own through a simple action item. This talk is also available as a workshop. Email us to learn more about what option is best for you.
Talk Two
Be a good neighbor & a helper, not just an activist
During this talk I engage middle school, high school and college students as well as youth organizations, etc. I speak about following my impossible dream to play basketball in the NBA and instead becoming a 23-year-old Mayor. Whether your dream is more realistic or one that seems impossible, this talk will have basic principles that identify character traits which can be used to help our youth. We also discuss why it's important to be a good neighbor and a helper in the process. We discuss why helping to create a positive culture in the environment you are in is more important than just being a passionate advocate. You can be both!
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Through my own personal experience and drawing on the dreams of those in the room, we will endeavor to create a room filled not just with leaders, but youth who are inspired to help create a generation of our future leaders. I did not accomplish my impossible dream, but I found a new calling in the process, and it could never have happened without the helpers and good neighbors in my life along the way.
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After this talk/experience our youth will be armed with a mindset to not be afraid to pursue their impossible dreams, while understanding the value of influencing the people around you in a positive way during their journey.
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This talk is also available as a workshop. Email us to learn more about what option is best for you.
Talk Three
Basketball is life, or is it?
During this interactive talk I spend time with a group of students and/or student athletes of any age. I use a basketball hoop either on-stage or in a gym. While discussing the fundamentals of shooting a basketball I also discuss the fundamentals of life.
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While this talk focuses on those students that believe their main goal in life is to play professional basketball or any professional sport, it is also a valuable lesson to all students who have dreams of their own. Sports can be a universal language.
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Working through five basic principles I help my audience understand what it takes to be a professional basketball player, and why even if you don't make it, you can quickly pivot in a new direction. For me I was able to pivot from the basketball arena to the political arena. It never could have taken place if I didn't believe with all of my heart, for most of my life, that the only thing that could make me happy and fulfilled was being a professional athlete.
This talk is also available as a workshop. Email us to learn more about what option is best for you.
Brian Testimonials
Testimonials
Contact Brian
Lets Connect
I help students advocate for their causes in a positive way that inspires the next generation to be good neighbors and helpers, not just activists.
Email: info@brianmaherspeaker.com
Call: 845-6672-949