Richard Poplak was born and lives in Johannesburg, South Africa. He trained as a filmmaker and fine artist at Montreal’s Concordia University and has produced and directed numerous short films, music videos, and commercials. Now a full-time writer, Poplak is a senior contributor at South Africa’s leading news site, Daily Maverick, and a frequent contributor to publications all over the world. He is a member of Deca Stories, the international long-form non-fiction collective. Since 2010, Poplak has been traveling across Africa, seeking out the catalysts and characters behind the continent’s 21st century metamorphosis. He is the co-author of Continental Shift: A Journey Into Africa’s Changing Fortunes.