Kevin Powell (born April 24, 1966) is an American writer, activist, and television personality. Powell is the author of 14 books, including The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy's Journey into Manhood and When We Free the World published in 2020. Powell was a senior writer during the founding years of VIBE magazine from 1992 to 1996. Powell’s activism has focused on ending poverty, advocating for social justice and counteracting violence against women and girls through local, national and international initiatives. He was a Democratic candidate for Congress in Brooklyn, New York, in 2008 and 2010. Powell was the curator for the first exhibit on the history of hip-hop in America at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2014, he was invited by the Welsh Government to the United Kingdom for a series of lectures and workshops on the 100th birthday of 20th century poet Dylan Thomas. As a result, he was named the International Ambassador for the Dylan Thomas Centennial in America. Cornell University owns The Kevin Powell Archive, documenting his work to date in print, photos, videos, books, handwritten notes, speeches, and select memorabilia beginning with his appearance in the first season of the first television reality series MTV's, The Real World: New York in 1992.