Founder, Extraordinary Ideas | Staff writer, The Root
Jay Connor is a Los Angeles-based writer, producer, consultant, speaker, and founder of Extraordinary Ideas, where he serves as the co-host and producer of the popular podcast “The Extraordinary Negroes” in addition to serving as a staff writer at The Root. His work has been featured in The New York Times, TIME Magazine, Pitchfork, The Guardian, Huffington Post, South by Southwest, Playboy, and countless other outlets.
Outside of his creative pursuits, Jay uses his multimedia platform to celebrate the accomplishments, opinions, and agency of marginalized groups, in addition to actively combating injustice, gender inequality, and the destigmatization of mental illness. Additionally, he’s an accomplished speaker and panelist who lends his insight and commentary to universities and events throughout the country, in addition to outlets such as Sirius XM, MSNBC, Entertainment Tonight and NPR.