Kevin Beckford is Co-Founder of the Hustler's Guild, where he's dismantling white supremacy by providing youth from the most disadvantaged areas of Washington, D.C. with coding and workforce enrichment opportunities at companies like Facebook, Google, Sony Music, and Roc Nation. In response to the Covid lockdown, the Hustler's Guild pivoted to Zoom events and has hosted moguls like Anthony Anderson, Snoop Dogg and Rickey Smiley on virtual events with Black youth to provide them with inspiration and leadership skills. He founded the Hustlers Guild with Yasmin Salina Rana and Jason Spear, two colleagues with whom he developed a close bond while working for the Obama administration at the White House.
From 2014-2016, Kevin was the Domestic Policy Portfolio Lead in the White House Presidential Correspondence Office and as a Special Advisor to Secretary Julian Castro. While there, Kevin successfully advocated for more inclusive and responsive communication practices concerning race relations and police brutality.
Kevin received his B.A. in African American Studies and Political Science from Yale, his MPhil in African Studies from the University of Cambridge, and his MSc. in Education from UPenn. Kevin has contributed to the Washington Post, the New York Amsterdam News, The Washington Informer, and others. Kevin also enjoys bodybuilding, fitness, and mentoring young people.
* * *
Black Geniuses are those who are delivering the Cross Continental Black Nation through genius innovation, whether they are doing so from the Continent or in the Diaspora. Are you a Black Genius? Send us your story at editor@noirpress.org
Join the noirpress movement on IG, Twitter and Facebook. For our newsletter curating the best in Black news and films, join our mailing list.
