Ishmael Reed is the author of more than 30 books, including his essay collection, Why No Confederate Statues in Mexico (Baraka Books, 2019); his 11th novel, Conjugating Hindi (Dalkey Archive Press, 2018); and his 11th nonfiction work, The Complete Muhammad Ali (Baraka Books, 2015). In 2019, New York’s Nuyorican Poets Café premiered his ninth play, The Haunting of Lin-Manuel Miranda, which garnered three AUDELCO Awards. His poetry collection, Why the Black Hole Sings the Blues: Poems 2007-2019 (Dalkey, 2020), features "Just Rollin' Along," a poem about the 1934 encounter between Bonnie and Clyde and Oakland Blues artist L.C. "Good Rockin'" Robinson, which was chosen for The Best American Poetry 2019. In addition, Reed has edited numerous magazines and 14 anthologies, including Black Hollywood Unchained (Third World Press, 2015). He is also a publisher, songwriter, cartoonist, public media commentator, lecturer, teacher, and founder of the Before Columbus Foundation and PEN Oakland, nonprofit organizations run by writers for writers.

After teaching at the University of California, Berkeley for more than 30 years, he retired in 2005. Now a Distinguished Professor at California College of the Arts, he also taught a spring 2019 creative writing class at UC Berkeley. He is a MacArthur Fellow and the recipient of many other honors, including a National Book Award, the 2018 Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History Award, the 2017 AUDELCO Pioneer Award for the Theater, the University of Buffalo’s 2014 Distinguished Alumni Award, a Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Award, San Francisco LitQuake’s 2011 Barbary Coast Award, and Pulitzer Prize nominations. Reed was also named 2008 Blues Songwriter of the Year by the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame, and his collaborations with jazz musicians spanning 40 years were recognized by SFJazz Center with his appointment, from 2012 to 2016, as San Francisco’s first Jazz Poet Laureate. Additionally, in 2016 he became the first recipient of the Alberto Dubito International Award in Venice, Italy, recognized as "a special artistic individual who has distinguished himself through the most innovative creativity in the musical and linguistic languages."

Photographed by Jason Henry

Adam grew up in New York City, went to public school, The Fieldston School and then Harvard University, graduating with Honors in Government & Political Philosophy. He started at Quarterback for The Harvard Crimson and played guitar and saxophone in The Harvard Jazz Band.

Coming soon as Captain Cam Wilson romancing Wanda Sykes, and across from Mike Epps on the new Netflix show, The Upshaws—Adam's recent work includes the hit film, The Gift, The Blacklist, Lethal Weapon, Glow and Scandal. Adam is known for his 25 year acting career, which began on Living Single, Martin, Hangin’ w/ Mr. Cooper, continued on Will & Grace, The Parkers, as the notorious Flynn in the Emmy-winning NBC mini-series, The Temptations, and being nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his lead role as Nathan Hastings on The Young & The Restless. Notable roles include Ocean’s 13 with Al Pacino, Grey’s Anatomy, Rosewood, Criminal Minds, Royal Pains, Private Practice and starring as Ian on Heroes.

Now, the newest member of the NCIS New Orleans writing team for Season 7—which began airing on Sunday, November 8th, 2020, Adam was a senior writer on Vin Diesel’s groundbreaking web-series, The Ropes (available on Netflix). As a director, Adam reached the third round of Oscar voting with his short film 200 Years produced by Rob Fried ( Collateral, Rudy, Boondock Saints). Adam co-wrote, produced and starred in, Forgiveness with Richard T. Jones, which won The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, International Black Film Festival; swept The San Diego Black Film Festival; was featured at The Pan-African Film Festival and more. Adam adapted and produced TV movies for Proctor & Gamble: Just Passin’ Through and What Angles Fear—both won Emmys for Regional TV and Adam won Regional Emmys as Leading Actor in both. His theatre credits include Mercutio in Michael Arabian’s Romeo & Juliet, Trojan Women; Bobby Seale (Black Panther leader) in Ron Sossi’s Chicago Conspiracy Trial, Neil LaBute’s This Is How It Goes, LATC’s You Morons Shoulda Stayed Home; and John Bishop’s Confluence and Legacies, at Circle Rep West where he was an executive member. Adam is the Founder of ALW Acting Studios, teaching beginners, intermediate, and advanced actors. He is a highly regarded acting coach who coached all the NBA stars in the popular film, Uncle Drew. His students include many well-known working actors. Adam taught at AMDA Conservatory in Los Angeles; at Gray Studios, and was a guest professor for the both drama and film departments at the U. of Alabama, when his film, 200 Years, and presentation, Media, Race & The Power of The Pen were featured at the Civil Rights and Arts Conference at UAB, alongside Harry Belafonte, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Martin Luther King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail.