Russell attended Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, on a track and field scholarship. He graduated with a B.Sc. in Biology and a minor in Psychology.

Even though he was considered a ‘science nerd,’ Russell excelled in African-American studies. His education in that subject made him passionate about exposing systemic racism and injustice toward racialized communities in Quebec and Canada. Aside from writing essays in his blog about the subject matter, in the summer of 2020, he participated in two demonstrations called “Driving While Black, Proud and Free”—the first of its kind in Canada—where Black motorists formed a caravan and staged a peaceful protest. The event gained national attention as it raised awareness of the ongoing problems of racial profiling by police in the Montreal area toward Black motorists. 

During his studies, Russell Brooks also excelled in a drama class called oral interpretation. This not only translated into the snappy dialogue found in his books but also made him popular at poetry readings.