ABOUT

Jesse Lipscombe is one of Canada’s leading keynote speakers. He is an expert on leadership, diversity, equity and inclusion. Jesse has inspired organizations to make significant changes in workplace communities to create collaborative and inspired teams. Educators trust him to instill confidence in youth and challenge them to be more inclusive and accepting. Major institutions and leading speaker series trust Jesse to educate and inspire their audiences. A few of his former clients include Canadian Tire, Loblaws, Kraft, University of Alberta, Shopify, and Giants of Africa.

Jesse entered the spotlight at 14 starring in Children of the Dust alongside Hollywood legend, Sydney Poitier. After completing high school, he shifted into athletic stardom after accepting a full athletic scholarship at the prestigious Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he became a breakout track star.

Following college, Jesse continued to pursue his acting career and has since produced many critically acclaimed films and television series (It’s Not My Fault, I Don’t Care Anyway, Tiny Plastic Men). Most recently, he starred in the Netflix hit show, Black Summer. In 2023, Jesse officially entered the literary world, publishing his debut novel, Jars—a coming-of-age story about acceptance, self-discovery and the adventures of a young person struggling to find their place.

Jesse is a recipient of the Obsidian Award for Top Business Leader in Western Canada. He was also previously named Community Man of the Year by Diversity Magazine. He is a passionate activist and entrepreneur, and the co-founder of the #MakeItAwkward campaign, which focuses on combatting racism, misogyny, homophobia and other forms of hatred. Jesse co-created, Not That Funny, the first-ever tabletop game that gamified activism to draw people into dialogue around difficult topics. The game continues to sell thousands of copies worldwide.