Rudy Francisco (born in San Diego, California) is a slam poet and author whose work addresses race, love, masculinity, and the search for identity with directness and emotional honesty. He is one of the most prominent figures in contemporary spoken word and has won multiple competitions including the San Diego Grand Slam championship and the Individual World Poetry Slam. He is the author of Helium (Button Poetry, 2017), which became a national bestseller, and I'll Fly Away (Button Poetry, 2021). He received his BA from the University of San Diego and later earned a master's degree in social psychology. His work has been widely shared online and has reached millions of viewers worldwide.