Masud Olufani was born Michael Bowles in 1969 in Los Angeles, California, and raised mainly in New York City. He became a Baha'i at university. Masud now lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where he is an actor and mixed-media artist and sculptor. He has exhibited his work in group and solo shows around the world. Masud also contributes to BahaiTeachers.org and PBS where he discusses race, the arts, society and other issues.
1.From Michael to Masud
I changed my name after discovering my father's surname was derived from an English slave captain’s name.
2.The n-word and other lessons in prejudice
I remember being baffled by it and my parents telling me that's just the way of the world.
3.The many forms of racism
We refuse to deal with the systemic nature of racism in this country — to face honestly who we have been.
4.Choosing the Baha’i Faith over anger
There was something in me that pushed me to search out answers for myself.
5.Jazz and the oneness of humanity
When you become a Baha'i you haven't suddenly arrived at some mystical destination where you don't have to work on these issues.
6.Love is an action verb
Far too often we have squandered so much human capital and potential because of racism.
7.Notes on meeting the Baha’i community
We have to be conscious of the message we send through what we say and what we do.
8.The trauma of racism across generations
Institutionalized lying has been used to justify evil behaviour. But Baha’u’llah said that “truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues”.