Kevin Powell is an American civil and human rights activist, a writer, entrepreneur and speaker, and the President of BK Nation. He is a passionate advocate for issues including immigrant rights, the #MeToo movement, marriage equality, gun violence prevention, and economic opportunity for all, and has previously run for Congress.

The child of a single mother, growing up amidst poverty and violence in Jersey City, Powell was able to attend Rutgers University thanks to the Educational Opportunity Fund. After graduation, he became a journalist and writer, and served as a founding staff member and senior writer at Vibe. He has since contributed essays, articles and blogs to The New York Times, CNN, The Washington Post, The Guardian, HuffPost, Esquire, British GQ, Ebony, Rolling Stone and many more. He has written over a dozen books including the essay collection Someday We’ll All Be Free, The Black Male Handbook: A Blueprint for Life, and The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy’s Journey into Manhood. He has been named a Phelps Stokes Fund Senior Fellow and a Writing Fellow at Washington, DC’s Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.

Besides writing, Powell is the founder and President of BK Nation, which supports human rights and equal opportunities for all. He has fronted an MTV documentary on post-riot Los Angeles, and has hosted, produced and featured in a range of programming on HBO, BET, and VH1, discussing cultural, social and political issues. He is a producer of the theatrical production SHE, a Choreoplay, and in 2019 announced he would be directing, writing and producing his debut documentary film Brotha Man. Powell speaks on subjects including diversity and leadership in contemporary America, redefining manhood, and the value of education.