Rasheed Newson is the author of the national bestseller "My Government Means to Kill Me." The novel was a Lambda Literary finalist for Gay Fiction and was named one of the “The 100 Notable Books of 2022” by The New York Times.

His forthcoming novel, "There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood," is slated for publication by Flatiron on June 2, 2026.

Rasheed is a 2025–26 American Library in Paris Visiting Fellow. He is also a television drama writer, producer, and showrunner. Along with his screenplay writing partner, T.J. Brady, he co-developed and is an executive producer of "Bel-Air." The drama series has won two NAACP Image Awards and has been nominated several times for Best Drama Series.

Additionally, Rasheed has worked on "The Chi," "Animal Kingdom," and "Narcos," among other drama series.

Rasheed was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a graduate of Georgetown University. He currently lives with his husband and their two children in Pasadena.