STORY

bio.

Kareem (K.A.) Simpson (American, b. 1978) is an author, cultural storyteller, and creative leader whose work challenges societal norms while illuminating the emotional and historical landscapes that shape identity, love, and belonging. Simpson’s writing is rooted in lived experience and community history, centering Black life, particularly Black queer life, in the Midwest and South with nuance, tenderness, and unflinching honesty.

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Simpson is the author of several notable works, including Chronicles of a Boy Misunderstood (2013), an eye-opening collection of fictional narratives exploring the inner lives of Black gay men. The stories confront themes of slavery, love, class, racism, social status, and the LGBTQ community, spanning decades while revealing how early experiences shape the ways we love deeply and imperfectly. His later works, including MINDSHIFT, and The Curse of the Color Indigo, continue his exploration of grief, imagination, leadership, and personal transformation across genres.

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In 2021, Simpson wrote Bro’Kin RIVER, an original 60-minute stage play based on the true story of Margaret Garner, a Northern Kentucky enslaved woman who escaped bondage only to be recaptured. Faced with the return of her children to slavery, Garner made the tragic decision to take her child’s life. The play stands as a powerful meditation on freedom, motherhood, and the brutal moral choices imposed by slavery.

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Beyond the page, Simpson is the founder and Chief Imagination Officer of SparkLight Creates, a personal and professional development agency that inspires artists and creative entrepreneurs to build sustainable, purpose-driven businesses. He is also the creator of narrative platforms such as Black Boy Writes and FLIPd, projects that amplify marginalized voices through storytelling, dialogue, and cultural critique.

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Simpson’s work has been published, exhibited, and archived across the United States, including placement in the Northern Kentucky Encyclopedia, exhibitions at Railvolution’s 2012 National Conference in Los Angeles, and the Kentucky Association of Blacks in Higher Education’s 2006 Annual Conference. His writing regularly appears in regional publications such as SoapBox Cincinnati, NKY Thrives, and The River City News.

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In recognition of his impact, Simpson was named the 2023 Writer-in-Residence for the Kenton County Public Library, a finalist for the 2022 NKY Pride Community Award, and a recipient of the 2020 President’s Award from the Northern Kentucky NAACP for his tireless efforts to elevate Black stories through personal and professional development. That same year, he received the Heart of the Community Award from the Center for Great Neighborhoods for his dedication to strengthening Covington and the lives of its people.

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Through writing, civic leadership, and creative practice, K.A. Simpson remains committed to telling honest, resonant stories—stories that linger, disrupt, and illuminate what it means to imagine something freer, fuller, and more human.

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awards.

​2025, Cincinnati Society of Professional Journalism, Excellence in Journalism, Written Communication Human Rights/Minority Issues Reporting, Finalist

2023, Icon Award, LGBTQ Institute, (Atlanta, GA)
2023, Artist in Resident, Kenton County Public Library (Covington, KY)

2022, Roebling Society Inductee, The Metropolitan Club, (Covington, KY)
2022, Black & Brown Artist Award, Artswave (Cincinnati, OH) 
2022, LGBTQ+ Community Activist Award Finalist, NKY Pride (Covington, KY)

2021, Heart of the Community Award, Center for Great Neighborhoods, (Covington, KY)
2021, Ember Award, Cincinnati Black Pride (Cincinnati, OH)
2021, Best Minority Issues Reporting Award Entrant, Society of Professional Journalists (Cincinnati, OH) 

2020, Presidents Award, NAACP (NKY Branch)
2020, Truth & Reconciliation Award, Artswave (Cincinnati, OH)