NJEA Convention announces exciting keynote speakers, entertainers

Mavis Staples

Thursday, Nov. 7 at 9:30 a.m.

Convention Center

Danny Clinch photographing Mavis Staples in New York City at the Love Rocks Concert on March 9th 2023.

An extraordinary talent and pivotal voice of the Civil Rights Movement

The legendary Mavis Staples will be the headlining keynote for the 2024 NJEA Convention! Known for her soulful energy, powerful music and unwavering commitment to social justice, Staples and her band will open NJEA Convention with an electrifying and deeply moving performance. 

A pivotal voice of the Civil Rights Movement, Staples has spent decades inspiring change through her extraordinary talent and passionate advocacy.

Chasten Buttigieg

Friday, Nov. 8 at 9:30 a.m. 

Convention Center

Teacher, bestselling author and LGBTQIA+ rights advocate  

Chasten Buttigieg, husband of former mayor and presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, has become a popular figure in his own right. The teacher’s wit, intimate social media musings, and inspiring speeches have prompted glowing media coverage and declarations that he “won the 2020 spouse primary.”

As his husband launched a campaign that made him one of the most talked-about Democrats in the 2020 race, Chasten leveraged his own platform to bring attention to improving public schools, access to arts education, and mental healthcare.

Mychal Threets

Thursday, Nov. 7 at 3 p.m. 

Convention Center

America’s favorite librarian 

Mychal Threets got his first library card at the age of 5 and never looked back. After earning his master’s degree in library and information science, he went on to become the supervising librarian at the very same library.  Now, he uses social media to share the stories of library kids and library grown-ups that he encounters in Library Land. He’s also open about his mental health and talks about it in hopes that it’ll help others in their mental health journey. 

John Hunter

Friday, Nov. 8 at 3 p.m. 

Convention Center

John Hunter is an award-winning teacher who blends his expertise in education with his background as a musician, composer and filmmaker. He sought to teach peace in a world often marked by violence, leading to the creation of the World Peace Game in 1978. This innovative game challenges students to explore harmony and develop collaborative and communication skills, embodying Hunter’s belief that “The World Peace Game is about learning to live and work comfortably in the unknown.”

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