A long-time activist and award-winning writer, Powell was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, and is the product of a single mother led household, extreme poverty, fatherlessness, and violence. In spite of these harsh circumstances, Powell studied at Rutgers University in New Jersey and he has become one of the most prolific and respected writers and leaders of his generation. He is the author or editor of 10 books, including his newest, Open Letters to America, a collection of essays that examine American leadership, politics, and various social issues in the era of Barack Obama. Additionally, Powell’s writings have appeared in a range of publications including The Washington Post, Newsweek, Essence, Ebony, Esquire, Rolling Stone, and Vibe, where he was a senior writer for several years documenting, most famously, the life and times of the late Tupac Shakur