Kai Harris

Kai Harris is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Santa Clara University's College of Arts and Sciences, Department of English. She specializes in fiction, African Diaspora writing, and slave narratives, with publications spanning poetry, personal essays, and academic articles on Black identity and social justice.

Her research focuses on trauma-aware self-care, youth-centered activism, BIPOC coming-of-age stories, and mental health awareness in Black communities. Through realistic fiction, she amplifies Black experiences, as seen in her debut novel What the Fireflies Knew.

Education:

• PhD in Creative Writing, Western Michigan University
• MA in English (Creative Writing), Belmont University
• BA in English Language & Literature, University of Michigan

Awards:

• Gwen Frostic Creative Writing Award
• NAACP Image Award Nominee
• Longlisted for Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize
• Marie Claire Book Club selection