Dr. Jonathan P. Higgins (DoctorJonPaul) is an award winning educator, professor, national speaker, freelance journalist, thought leader and media critic who examines the intersections of identity, gender and race in entertainment. Named National Black Justice Coalition’s Inaugural Emerging Leaders to Watch and Business Equality Magazine’s “Top 40 LGBTQ People Under 40”, their work has been featured on sites like Essence, Ebony, Complex, MTV NEWS, Out Magazine, BET & Paper Mag. A Culture Strike 2021 Disruptor, Twitter Spaces Spark Creator, they were recently named a Black Boy/Girl Writes Fellow in Mike Gauyo’s writing program in collaboration with Stage 32 and finalist in Wondaland’s Writing Series & Stowes Writing Lab. Dr. Higgins is a trailblazer who is creating, sharing, and crafting the stories their ancestors didn’t get to tell. They have written for numerous outlets including BET, Entertainment Weekly, IntoMore, Out, MTV News, Paper Mag and more.
Dr. Higgins is currently the Director of Strategic Media & Advocacy for Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance and has held positions at both Chernin Entertainment & Edith Productions. They have consulted with multiple brands on inclusion projects including United Artists, Amazon Prime, Fox, the NFL, Apple, Disney, Instagram, Buzzfeed and GLAAD. They have also been a featured speaker for SXSW & TEDx and most recently was the first queer Black person to speak at ForbesBLK inaugural conference.
You can also see them on hit shows like Netflix’s Nailed It and Fuse’s Like a Girl.
They are the creator, executive producer and host of the “Black Fat Femme Podcast'' which was developed via IHeartMedia’s Next Up Initiative in 2021. The podcast has gone on to be named one of the “top Black podcasts to listen to” by Ebony, Intomore and Essence Magazine. The show also snagged a Webby Honoree in 2024 for best talk/interview podcast.
Dr. Higgins holds a doctorate in educational justice from University of Redlands and regularly writes and lectures on what liberation means for Black, queer, fat, non-binary people.
