Jamal Shipman was a contestant on Survivor: Island of the Idols, which aired in 2019 and was the 39th season of the popular reality TV show.

Shipman is a college administrator from Rhode Island, and was an unlikely candidate for Survivor: Island of the Idols. He performed well in the show however, forming alliances early on which went on to help him stay in the game. He moved between the minority and the majority tribes, finding a Hidden Immunity Doll which helped boost his strategy and win him a place in the majority tribe. He was an outspoken member of the group, joining others in calling out the behaviour of some of the other islanders when he felt it was inappropriate. Sadly he was eliminated from the game during a Tribal Council vote, after being left vulnerable and other players used their advantage to tactically remove him. He became known as a warm and bubbly personality on the show, winning over fans who liked his down to earth approach. Since leaving the programme, Shipman has also competed in a Survivor spin off show, Sequester, in 2020.

Now, Shipman uses his platform to raise awareness of political and social causes, including encouraging people to vote and speaking about his experiences of being a black man in America today. He often posts pictures of himself at protests and has appeared on podcasts to speak about his experiences of being a black person in the public eye.