Compton has published books of poetry, essays, and fiction, and he edited the first comprehensive anthology of black writing from British Columbia. He co-founded Commodore Books with David Chariandy and Karina Vernon in 2006, the first black-oriented press in Western Canada. He also co-founded the Hogan's Alley Memorial Project in 2002, a grassroots organization that promotes the history of Vancouver's black community. Compton teaches in the faculty of Creative Writing at Douglas College.
