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Joy-Ann Reid

  • Award-Winning Journalist
  • Former MSNBC Political Analyst & Host, 'The ReidOut'
  • New York Times Bestselling Author
  • First Black Woman to Host a Primetime Cable News Program

Award-winning political analyst, New York Times bestselling author, and former MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) national correspondent Joy-Ann Reid was the longtime host of MS NOW’s beloved The ReidOut. Reid made history with her namesake show as the first Black woman to host a primetime cable news program. And during her time at Comcast/Universal, she helped launch and cohosted a number of special programs including  MSNBC’s The Culture Is. Prior to The ReidOut, she hosted the hit weekend morning news show AM Joy. Reid is the author of Fracture: Barack Obama, the Clintons, and the Racial DivideWe Are the Change We Seek: The Speeches of Barack Obama, which she co-edited, and two New York Times bestsellers: The Man Who Sold America: Trump and the Unraveling of the American Story and the #1 New York Times Bestseller, Medgar and Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Changed America. Reid hosts two podcasts: The Joy Reid Show, a three times weekly news and interviews podcast that has featured such guests as former Vice President Kamala Harris, former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre, and mayors, governors and celebrities; and Reid This, Reid That, with Emmy-winning journalist Jacque Reid. Her Substack: Joy’s House, is one of the fastest growing on the platform, featuring original articles and breaking news. A sought-after keynote speaker, Reid is celebrated for her no-nonsense commentary and insights, taking audiences beyond the headlines in impactful engagements.

Reid has been featured in Washington PostForbesThe New York TimesVogueBlack EnterpriseFast CompanyMs., among many others, and her writing has appeared in The New York TimesThe GuardianThe Miami HeraldNew York Magazine, and The Daily Beast. She was a 2025 NAACP Image Award winner for The ReidOut and for Medgar & Myrlie. a 2022 NAACP Image Award winner for The ReidOut, 2003 Knight Center for Advanced Journalism fellow, and has received awards from the Women’s Media Center, the National Action Network, the National Association of Black Journalists, and been nominated for two Emmy Awards, a GLAAD Media Award, and two prior NAACP Image Awards. Reid formerly taught at Syracuse University and was a Hearst Visiting Professor at Howard University, teaching a course on the impact of race and gender on political coverage. Drawing on her decades-long experience in politics and passion for addressing the intersections of race, justice, and culture, Reid offers in-demand analysis on today’s most important issues.

 
Joy-Ann Reid headshot
Past Hosts Include:
  • Mercy College
  • Institute of Policy Studies at Howard University
  • Symphony Space
  • The New York Public Library
  • Enoch Pratt Free Library
  • University of Iowa
I wanted to thank you and your entire team for Joy-Ann's participation in my conference last week. People simply loved her. She was great!
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"Everything worked out well and Joy-Ann brought the house down! Her insights into our city, what's at stake in this year's election and democracy left us all riveted and fired up. She was fun, down to earth, gracious and patient as folks clamored to take a million selfies with her."

-Bridgeport Generation Now

"I can count on one hand the number of times that a guest speaker has gone above and beyond what was expected. Joy-Ann just used up one more of my available digits. Her presentation was very engaging as the audience was responsive to her for her entire time on stage. I think the best compliment I can pay her, is that she’s the real deal - as genuine as they come. Joy-Ann was gracious, caring, and genuinely interested in all whom she encountered. My students on the committee love her! You have a keeper there."

-University of Iowa

"Joy-Annwas excellent! Even though we were virtual, we had the energy of the ballroom, and she spoke so much truth, while giving hope. I've received multiple texts and emails from attendees about this being their favorite Booklovers' Breakfast yet, and these are people that have attended for decades."

-Enoch Pratt Free Library

"Joy-Ann was utter perfection on stage and really directed the conversation with nuance and ease to some fascinating places. It was such a delight to work with her..."

-Symphony Space
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The Situation is Dire: What are we going to do about it? | League of Women Voters - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Joy-Ann Reid
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Women’s Empowerment: Crisis and Opportunity

JOY-ANN REID is a trailblazer in journalism, a powerful example of what it means to rise, rebuild, and reclaim space in notoriously competitive industries. In this compelling keynote, Reid shares her deeply personal journey: from being raised by immigrant parents and putting herself through Harvard, to building a high-profile career in journalism without the safety net of privilege or connections. She has weathered intense public scrutiny and “cancellation” attempts, only to return more focused, more grounded, and more committed to her mission.

With trademark candor and insight, Reid explores what it means to lead with authenticity in the public eye. She challenges outdated notions of leadership and offers a bold vision rooted in persistence, truth-telling, and responsibility. Her story is both inspirational and instructive—especially for women navigating power structures in business, media, politics, and beyond.

Audiences will walk away with:

  • A new perspective on what leadership really looks like for women in visible roles
  • Practical insights on navigating adversity, owning your voice, and staying grounded under pressure
  • A renewed sense of possibility around resilience, courage, and inclusive power

Perfect for programs focused on women’s leadership, courageous communication, equity in media, and the future of public discourse.

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Today’s Political Realities

Drawing on her decades-long experience in politics and her passion for addressing the intersections of race, justice and culture, JOY-ANN REID delves into American politics as it unfolds, offering vital insights and analysis on today’s most pressing issues.

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Covering Race, Gender, & Politics in the Digital Age

Award-winning political analyst JOY-ANN REID discusses how race and gender impact media coverage in today’s increasingly ideologically siloed, digitally influenced newsroom. Touching on topics from the misinformation epidemic to the racial roots of journalistic objectivity v. fairness, Reid offers much-needed analysis and insights about the current state of our democracy and how journalism and the media play a role.

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Author Talk: ‘Medgar & Myrlie’

Award-winning political analyst and author JOY-ANN REID’s groundbreaking #1 New York Times bestseller Medgar & Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Awakened America is an avenue through which to discuss the on-the-ground work that went into winning basic rights for Black Americans and the repercussions still resonating today. Critically acclaimed, Medgar & Myrlie was honored with the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work. In her empathetic, informed voice, Reid connects the past to the present, inspiring audiences to step forward as agents of change.

Pairing Reid's talk with a bulk book buy allows attendees to dive deeper into the historical and societal contexts she discusses, enabling participants to reflect on key themes and apply lessons to their own lives and work. 

Books by Joy-Ann Reid
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Biography
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