Kofi Bazzell-Smith artist and educator, and the first professor of manga practice in the United States. His creative work spans manga, immersive exhibition, and multimedia storytelling, with a focus on speculative worlds, global exchange, and narrative experimentation.

A 2025-26 United States-Japan Foundation Leadership delegate, he serves on the board of the US–Japan Bridging Foundation, a scholarship organization supporting American students studying abroad in Japan. 

He is currently developing new programs in Japan to help U.S. students learn manga and Japanese language through immersive cultural exchange. Kofi's work is rooted in building bridges across art, language, and education.

Outside of the classroom and studio, He has been boxing for 16 years and turned professional in 2021.