A week ago, Baratunde Thurston stepped down as Director of Digital from The Onion “to pursue more entrepreneurial ventures.”

About his departure from America’s Finest News Source, where he worked for nearly five years, he said:

And as director of digital (a badass title I created for myself), I got to experiment and help The Onion define its voice on the platforms and interfaces of the future. What I learned there changed the way I’ll think about media and technology forever.

So, here’s what’s next. I will continue to roll out the world attached to my book, How To Be Black. I will continue to pursue opportunities in the world of moving pictures. And I will continue doing performance and public speaking events, especially those focused on race and identity, the future of digital storytelling and the power of comedy to help us understand the world.

Lucky for you and us, Thurston will share his experiences and knowledge as a keynote speaker at the 2012 AAN Convention in Detroit.
To hear him live, register for the convention now!