Curtis Carmichael is an award-winning social entrepreneur, technologist, STEM and hip-hop teacher, computer programmer, and the former Director of a Code Ninjas franchise. His cross-Canada cycling tour Ride for Promise raised funds for Toronto Community Housing afterschool programs and was featured in an award-winning documentary. Curtis has been published in CBC National News, Global News, City News, The Tyee, USPORTS, and TEDx. In his spare time, he is a Team Canada Duathlete for the 2021 Multisport World Championships. Curtis grew up in Scarborough, Ontario, and has dedicated his life to advocating for Black and racialized youth in low-income communities in the City of Toronto and across Canada.

Curtis holds a Bachelor’s in Physical and Health Education from Queen’s University and a BEd in STEM education from Ontario Tech University. He has been the recipient of numerous awards including USPORTS National Russ Jackson, Herbert H. Carnegie National Citizenship, City of Toronto Spirit of Sport Diversity and Inclusion and the City of Toronto Hall of Honour inductee—winning awards alongside NBA star RJ Barrett, five-time Canadian heavyweight champion George Chuvalo, and Canadian Olympians Kylie Masse, Greg Westlake, and Stephanie Dixon.

As a self-taught computer programmer, Curtis built his own mobile app that brings his memoir to life by giving readers access to hidden content which can be activated by holding your phone over photos throughout the book. He is the author and mobile app developer for the World's First Augmented Reality Memoir Butterflies in the Trenches. Curtis is from and lives in Scarborough.