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.