FebruaryCourtney Bell
Courtney Bell is 1 of 4 children born onto astounding mother and matriarch Tosha Bell. Raised in the Sumner Neighborhood of North Minneapolis. Growing up on the Northside of Minneapolis afforded Courtney the opportunity to attend her Alma Mater North Community High School. In the fall of 2007 Courtney went on to attend the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities as a first generation college student. Courtney completed her B.A in the Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Deviance from the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts in 2011 and went on to become a behavior dean at North High School. After witnessing firsthand the impact that enduring caring relationships and high expectations had on children, Courtney decided to return to the University of Minnesota to pursue her M.Ed./ Social Studies Teacher Licensure to become an educator. After completing her M.Ed program in 2014, Courtney returned to her Alma Mater as the 9th grade African American History/ Human Geography teacher. Courtney constantly reminds her Polar Scholars of Mandela’s words “education is the most powerful weapon in which to change the world.” During her 4th year of teaching Courtney was nominated and became 1 of 12 finalists for the MN Teacher of the Year program. Currently Courtney is in the midst of her third year in the Educational Policy and Leadership PhD program through the University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human Development. Courtney is also currently serving first generation college students as an academic advisor for the MLK program housed under CLA.
Quote: “Children learn more from what you are than what you teach." - W.E.B. DuBois DECEMBERRAVYNN Stringfield
Ravynn Stringfield is a Ph.D. student in American Studies at the College of William & Mary. Her fields of interest are African American Literature, African American Intellectual History, and Comics and Media Studies. She is also starting to lean into Black digital humanities epistemology as a part of her work. She is a HASTAC scholar and William & Mary Equality Lab fellow. In addition to her scholarly work, she is also the graduate assistant for the Lemon Project: A Journey of Reconciliation, a project which researches wrongs perpetrated by W&M against African Americans through action or inaction, studying both slavery and then Jim Crow segregation. The Lemon Project also incorporates community outreach aspects and student involvement.
Hobbies: One hobby that is turning into a scholarly intervention is the blog she has been writing since her first year, Black Girl Does Grad School. But when she really needs to unplug, she practices handlettering, bulletjournaling, and knitting-- she will try almost anything creative. Additionally, she loves to write fiction-- particularly novels and short stories, but is in the process of trying to write a script. Quote: "Do your thing but protect your energy." Take care of yourself first or else you won't have anything left to give. NovemberCandace Moore
Candace M. Moore, Ph.D., Assistant Clinical Professor in the Higher Education, Student Affairs, International Education Policy (HESI) program and Director of the Center for the Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education (CDIHE) within the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her pronouns are she/her/hers. She earned her Ph.D. in Counseling and Student Personnel Services from the University of Georgia. Prior to joining UMD, she served on the faculty in the College Student Affairs Administration program at the University of Georgia. Dr. Moore also was the program coordinator and co-developer of the Student Affairs Leadership Ed.D. program.
Dr. Moore's research agenda is two tiered with a focus on: 1) Qualitative research methodologies—critical research; narrative research; epistemological pathways, and 2) Inclusive campus environments—Black student identity development; student success at historically Black colleges and universities; LGBTQ student development; student athlete transitions; contingent faculty development; student affairs practice in tertiary education within the context of Ghana, West Africa. As a former student affairs administrator, Dr. Moore is committed to educating, learning from others, and promoting inclusive education environments in higher education. It is important for her to bring her practical skills to the classroom, informing an intentional pathway of applying theory to practice in higher education/student affairs spaces. Moreover, her engagement with higher education in Ghana, West Africa is supported through her study abroad program, gradate level global classroom, and a newly formed research agenda related to employing culturally conscious pedagogy and student affairs practice in Ghanaian higher education. Throughout her career, she has presented research at the local, state, regional, and national levels. She is the 2016 recipient of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrator (NASPA) Region III Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Award. Additionally, she is a 2018 recipient of the University of Maryland’s Office of International Affairs, highly competitive, Global Classroom Initiative grant—an award she shares with a colleague at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Hobbies: She enjoys traveling with her family and friends, is a football enthusiast (primarily a fan of the University of Georgia Bulldawgs and Atlanta Falcons), a Cosby Show expert, and civically engaged member of the Links, Inc. Quote: It’s critically important for people engaged in social justice education and living multiplies realities at the intersections of socially constructed identities to be intentional in employing self-care strategies. We shall not forget Audre Lorde’s timeless call, reminding us “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” Be well. JuneAllante Whitmore
Allanté is a proud Detroit native. In 2007, she left Detroit to attend the illustrious North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University to study Biological Engineering. It was there she discovered her love for research and chose to pursue a career in academia. She went on to earn an M.S. in Biological and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Afterwards, she led the McNair Scholars Program at Wayne State University before leaving to pursue a joint Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research focuses on uncovering the environmental and social implications of autonomous vehicle technology. Through Strengths Not Strikes and her podcast, Blk + in Grad School, Allanté chronicles her experience as a Black woman navigating academia. She melds her passion for education and engineering by providing encouragement and tools for women and people of color to successfully navigate the graduate education journey. In her leisure, Allanté enjoys traveling, listening to podcasts, and spending time with her grandfather, Herbert Whitmore.
Quote: "Trust Your Dopeness" or anything from Tracy G. AprilTatiana Bien-Aime
Tatiana Bien-Aime is a young Haitian-American woman. She is currently the Student Support Coordinator at DC Prep: Benning Middle Campus. Before this role, Tatiana was a grief and trauma therapist that worked with students both individually and in group ages 5- 18. She graduated with her Masters in Social Work from Howard University in 2014 and also earned a BA in English and a BS in psychology in 2011 from Howard. In her current role, she serves as the school counselor for students in the 4th-8th grade, focusing on their social and emotional wellbeing, in addition to being a school leader. Her 5+ years of working in the school system from Pre-K to 12th grade has been inspired by her love education. She believes that acess to accurate, relevant, culturally humble information can change lives. She is passionate about working with young people, families, and communities of color. She is also interested in issues of race, faith, education, social justice, immigration, and equity.
Hobbies: -Salsa Dancing -Reading novels about young people, and adventures, and people of color - Traveling to new places - Spending time family -Spending time with friends and people who inspire me Quote: The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any. -Alice Walker MARCHMS. ROSEILYN GUZMAN
Roseilyn Guzman is an Assistant Director of Residential Life at Amherst College. In this role, she oversees six residence halls with approximately 450+ residents that are supported by a 12-member student staff of Resident Counselors whom she supervises in both their leadership role and personal development. Guzman has also worked as a Case Manager; in which she has supported students in crisis, worked closely with Class Deans, the Counseling Center, and other campus partners to help students successfully graduate. In addition to her roles, she volunteers as a staff supervisor to advise students on the planning and execution of the women of color luncheon series that are sponsored by the Women’s and Gender Center. The luncheon series focus on providing a space for women of color on campus to enjoy a meal while sharing their experiences and empowering each other. They further participate in self-care activities to help them balance the stresses of their academics and their intersectionalities.
In her spare time, she serves as a member of the Alumni Society Board of Directors for the College of Education at The Pennsylvania State University. She holds an M.S. in higher education with an emphasis on student affairs and a B.S. in education and public policy, both from The Pennsylvania State University. Hobbies - Spending time with family and friends - Reading poetry and books on women empowerment - Traveling - Cycling - Cooking - Strengthening my spirituality Quote for Black students, staff, and faculty: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Nelson Mandela FebruaryDr. ebony Elizabeth Thomas
Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Ebony Elizabeth Thomas taught elementary language arts, high school English, and creative writing in public schools for several years after graduating from Florida A&M, a historically Black university in Tallahassee, Florida. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 2010, she returned to her master's degree institution, Wayne State University, as an assistant professor of Reading, Language, and Literature in the College of Education. In July 2012, she came to Penn GSE, where she is Assistant Professor in the Division of Literacy, Culture, and International Education. Her program affiliation is Reading/Writing/Literacy.
In her work, Dr. Thomas synthesizes postcolonial, critical, and critical race theory with data from her empirical research in classrooms to examine the ways that literature, media, and culture are positioned in schooling and society today. Dr. Thomas’s program of research is most keenly focused on children’s and adolescent texts (broadly construed), the teaching of African American literature, history, and culture in K-12 classrooms, and the roles that race, class, and gender play in classroom discourse and interaction. Dr. Thomas has published her research and critical work in Harvard Educational Review, Review of Research in Education, Race Ethnicity and Education, Journal of Children’s Literature, Journal of Teacher Education, Research in the Teaching of English, Qualitative Inquiry, Linguistics and Education, English Journal, The ALAN Review, and Sankofa: A Journal of African Children’s and Young Adult Literature. Her work has also appeared in Diversity in Youth Literature: Opening Doors Through Reading (ALA Editions, 2012), her co-edited volume Reading African American Experiences in the Obama Era: Theory, Advocacy, Activism (Peter Lang, 2012), and A Narrative Compass: Stories That Guide Women’s Lives (University of Illinois Press, 2009). Dr. Thomas’ early career work received the 2014 Emerging Scholar Award from AERA's Language and Social Processes Special Interest Group, as well as Honorable Mention in the 2012 NCTE Promising Researcher Award competition. In 2014, she was selected as a National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow. In 2016, she was invited to be part of the advisory board of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance Task Force on the Teaching of Racial History in the United States. Her expertise on race and representation in children’s and young adult literature has been sought after nationally and internationally. She has been interviewed by MSNBC, the BBC, the New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Chicago Tribune, to name a few. She was a former reviewer for Kirkus’ children’s book section, and in 2015, wrote a regular review column for the Los Angeles Times. Currently, she and her graduate students select Penn GSE’s Best Books for Young People annually, an award that is receiving attention from publishers. Dr. Thomas is a former NCTE Cultivating New Voices Among Scholars of Color Fellow (2008-2010 Cohort), served on the NCTE Standing Committee on Research (2012-2015), and was elected by her colleagues to serve on the NCTE Conference on English Education's Executive Committee (2013-2017). She is currently Chair of the NCTE Standing Committee on Research, is outgoing chair of the Literacy Research Association’s area on Children’s and Young Adult Literature and Text Analysis, and is incoming co-editor of Research of the Teaching of English. Her forthcoming book is The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination in Youth Literature, Media, and Culture (New York University Press, anticipated 2018). NovemberDr. Marcelle Haddix
Dr. Marcelle Haddix is a Dean’s Associate Professor and chair of the Reading and Language Arts department in the Syracuse University School of Education and a nationally-recognized literacy scholar committed to centering Black literacies in educational practices and spaces. She directs two literacy programs for adolescent youth: the Writing Our Lives project, a program geared toward supporting the writing practices of urban middle and high school students within and beyond school contexts, and the Dark Girls afterschool program for Black middle school girls aimed at celebrating Black girl literacies. Haddix’s work is featured in Research in the Teaching of English, English Education, Linguistics and Education, and Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy and in her book, Cultivating Racial and Linguistic Diversity in Literacy Teacher Education: Teachers Like Me. Her awards and recognitions include the American Educational Research Association Division K Early Career Award; the National Council for Teachers of English Promising Researcher Award; and the NCTE Janet Emig Award. She is the President-elect of the Literacy Research Association. She earned a Ph.D. from Boston College, a master’s degree in education from Cardinal Stritch University, and a bachelor’s degree in English education from Drake University.
Hobbies For Dr. Haddix, yoga, wellness, and healthy living are deeply personal and political. Known as The ZenG, she is a 200-hour certified registered yoga instructor who specializes in yoga for underrepresented groups and for community-based organizations. She also practices veganism and healthy, soulful living. Her goal is to bring yoga to more communities of color and to challenge the misrepresentation of people of color and yoga, healthy living, and healthy eating. Why ZenG? Her sistafriends nicknamed her ZenG because of her blissfully zen yet “I don’t take no mess” attitude. She is unapologetic about living well and creating spaces for people of color to honor and care for their bodies and each other. Her community engaged approach to yoga and wellness culminates in yoga and writing retreats for women and couples of color, yoga and mindfulness workshops in urban school contexts, and regular yoga classes and sistercircles in her community. Follow her at www.zengyoga.com Quote: “Self-care and self-love are part of the work and our commitment to our communities. We can’t care for and love on others if we don’t first love and care for our selves.” 
SEPTEMBERDEIDRA M. BAILEY
Deidra began her career in education as a 2009 Teach For America (TFA) corps member in the DC Region. After spending five years at Anacostia Senior High School in Southeast DC, teaching special education and math she joined the staff at DC International School (DCI) as a founding teacher. Deidra continued her time in the classroom teaching math and supporting students with disabilities in grades 6 - 8 for two more years. Beginning in school year 2016 - 2017, she moved into the role of Assistant Principal for the 9th grade at DCI, serving the wonderful class of 2020! She currently is the Assistant Principal for both the 9th and 10th grade at DCI. Outside of school, she is a Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness Facilitator for Teach For America Summer Institute, supporting the development of first year teachers during their summer institute. In her spare time, she serves as a member of the leadership team for DC Education Coalition for Change, a community organizing group made up of families, students, educators and friends of education that organizes around the needs of students in the District. Deidra holds a B.A. in Government and International Politics and a M.Ed in Special Education, both from George Mason.
Hobbies:
Quote for Black students, staff, and faculty: “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” ― Frederick Douglass AUGUSTTENIKA JEAN-PAUL
Going into her tenth year as a school psychologist, Tenika currently works with high school students in order to assist with educational and mental health needs. As a school psychologist, she collaborates with teachers, nurses, counselors, administrators and parents in order to ensure the well being of her students.
Hobbies: My hobbies include baking, painting, reading and listening to various genres of music. For more information about Tenika's baking skills and deliciously tasty cakes check out campbellscakery.com. Quote for Black students, staff and faculty: “Work hard for what you want and make it happen!” julyDR. ADRIENNE DIXSON
Dr. Adrienne Dixson's primary research interest focuses on how issues of race, class and gender intersect and impact educational equity in urban schooling contexts. She locates her research within two theoretical frameworks: Critical Race Theory and Black feminist theories. Dr. Dixson and her colleague, Celia K. Rousseau-Anderson, edited CRT in Education: All God's Children Got a Song (2006, Routledge) one of the first book-length texts on CRT in education. Most recently, Dr. Dixson is interested in how educational equity is mediated by school reform policies in the urban south. Specifically, Dr. Dixson is interested in school reform in post-Katrina New Orleans, how local actors make sense of and experience those reform policies and how those policies become or are "racialized."
Hobbies: Traveling abroad, attending music festivals Quote to students, faculty, and staff: won't you celebrate with me what i have shaped into a kind of life? i had no model. born in babylon both nonwhite and woman what did i see to be except myself? i made it up here on this bridge between starshine and clay, my one hand holding tight my other hand; come celebrate with me that everyday something has tried to kill me and has failed. -Lucille Clifton, 1993 JuneDr. Terrell Strayhorn
Dr. Terrell Strayhorn is Professor and Founder/CEO of Do Good Work Educational Consulting, LLC, an educational consulting/research firm committed to using the power of research to ensure student success. Most recently, Strayhorn was Professor and Director of the Center for Higher Education Enterprise (CHEE) at The Ohio State University, where he served on the faculty for 7 years. Prior to that, he was on the faculty at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and founding Director of the Center for Higher Education Research & Policy (CHERP). He was worked at the Council of Graduate Schools as a research associate, as well as the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Policy at the University of Virginia. Author of 10 books, more than 100 journal articles, and many book chapters, Dr. Strayhorn is one of the foremost authorities on college student success and sense of belonging, especially for historically underrepresented populations. A highly-regarded scholar and speaker, Strayhorn has given hundreds of keynotes and lectures at colleges and conferences across the globe. His scholarship drives policy and practice across the country, including campus strategic plans, new summer bridge programs, and cutting-edge approaches to meeting students’ academic, social, and basic needs today.
Hobbies: Dr. Strayhorn is a trained musician, jazz pianist, and soulful vocalist. Apart from analyzing data, writing books and articles, or traveling the country to speak at conferences/institutions, Dr. Strayhorn spends his time deeply involved in church and music activities. He serves as Minister of Music for all churches in his district, sings on the praise team at his local church, and has been an ordained minister since the age of 15. Apart from his two kids (Aliyah and Tionne), Strayhorn is the proud “parent” of 2 yorker pups: Teddy (6 years) and Tiger (1 year). Quote to students, faculty, and staff: #DoGoodWork! If you focus on doing good work, success is destined to come and you’ll always feel good about what you did. But, as my grandmother taught me: “Love many, trust few; learn to paddle your own canoe.” MayEddie Lovett
EdEddie Lovett serves as the founding Dean of Students for Latin College Preparatory Charter School in Atlanta, Georgia. A strong believer in restorative justice and the academic and personal growth of students, Lovett works to ensure that the culture of the school is strong and that the environment is conducive for learning and personal growth. Lovett loves his students fiercely and has worked to ensure the school's culture is not one of zero tolerance and excessive suspensions, but love and reflection.
Hobbies: In his spare time, Lovett enjoys spending time with his wife and sons, going to football and baseball games, playing with his dogs, reading, and playing/watching sports. Quote to students, staff, and faculty: The true goal of educating black scholars is not that they are able to pass tests or get into high-achieving schools, it is that they have an understanding of who they are, the power that they possess and that together we are stronger. As educators, it is our job to provide our scholars of color with the tools not to pass the test but to change the way in which things are assessed. aprilDr. Toby Jenkins-Henry
Conducting research that focuses on race, gender, equity, and culture within education environments we are excited to have Dr. Toby Jenkins as our Blackademic of the month! Dr. Jenkins’ work also examines in how culture affects leadership and one’s sense of social commitment. In addition to being an Assistant Professor at Georgia Southern University, Dr. Jenkins has published two books and produced several book chapters and papers. Prior to becoming a faculty member, she served as an higher education administrator and diversity practitioner for 10 years. Dr. Toby Jenkins has absolutely made her mark as a scholar-practitioner in the academy.
Take a few minutes to learn more about the works and awesomeness of Dr. Jenkins at her site here. Hobbies: Toby is basically down for anything outside of the academy. She is a breast cancer survivor also living with Lupus, so she is focused on fully experiencing life: nature walks, hikes, live music, poetry slams, foodie frolics, travel, cuddles with her husband and playing with her two-year old son Kai. Quote to students, staff, and faculty: Don’t spend your life searching for heroes-become one! MarchCamille Fair Bumbray Here Camille is pictured with her four daughters
Meet Camille.
Despite society’s efforts to criminalize, marginalize, and dehumanize Black girls, Camille Fair Bumbray is committed to highlighting the #blackgirlbrilliance that exists inside each Black girl. A mother, wife, educator, and doctoral student, Camille recently launched her organization, Black Girl Brilliance, dedicated to empowering and elevating Black girls socially and academically through mathematics and mindfulness education. She and a team of dedicated educators meet with a group of girls on Saturdays to teach everything from SAT prep to life skills. Her own academic work focuses on the social and emotional experiences of Black girls in mathematics classrooms. Camille embodies the educator and scholar most of us wish we had growing up. Be more like Camille. Hobbies: With four children and a doctoral program, it's really hard to have a hobby but I really love traveling, particularly to warm tropical destinations. When I'm able to steal time for myself, you'll find me at a bikram yoga or an African dance class. Quote for students, staff, and faculty: Kwame Ture said we must have an "undying love for our people" and this is true because if not us...then who? februaryDr. Prentiss Dantzler
In our nation’s current state of division, Dr. Prentiss Dantzler is committed to creating a more inclusive, democratic society. Originally from the city of Philadelphia, Dr. Dantzler currently serves as an Assistant Professor at Colorado College. His research focuses on housing policy and community development, social inequality, racial politics and urban history, and neighborhood change and urban development. We truly appreciate Dr. Dantzler’s passion to not only teach students holistically, but also his commitment to produce knowledge that will hopefully , “Change how people view themselves within their environments and to question the ways we can all operate to create a more inclusive, democratic society.” (Prentiss Dantzler)
He is absolutely one of our favorite scholars on the rise and we’re excited to honor Dr. Dantzler as out February Blackademic of the month! Hobbies: My biggest hobby is dancing. If I am not in a hip hop, popping, locking, house or dancehall class, I am at a battle reliving the "You Got Serve" era. Outside of that, I am into spoken word events as well as testing out the outdoor life of living in Colorado. Lastly, I enjoy meeting up with friends for drinks and conversation about political banter and social issues. Such things truly feed my soul. Quote for Black students, staff and faculty: “I have always thought that what is needed is the development of people who are interested not in being leaders as much as in developing leadership in others.” - Ella Baker 2016NovemberDr. Rayshawn Ray
In a time where U.S. racial tension is publicly higher than it’s been since the ‘60s, Dr. Rashawn Ray’s work speaks to a critical need. Through his books, scholarly articles, courses, and YouTube channel, Ray seeks to confront racial and social inequality head on. Dr. Ray brings context to and drops knowledge on current events, including the NFL’s history of ignoring domestic violence, police brutality, and this year’s [draining] presidential campaign.
Hobbies: “I enjoy spending time with my family, coaching my kids' ball teams, watching movies, and exercising.” Quote for Black students, staff and faculty: "Do the work that you know is important to the people who you most want to represent, even when people try to tell you it's not. Then figure out how to disseminate your work to those people to impact their lives." OCTOBERJADE T. PERRY
Serving as a student affairs higher education professional and writer, Jade Perry is definitely a force to be reckoned with. She slays the blogging world on her site Jadetperry.com where she tackles topics such as spirituality and career.
On her blog Jade Perry states, “My mission is to offer information, ideas, & counter-cultural narratives that will empower readers to thrive and to lovingly & creatively challenge secular and sacred systems toward greater levels of inclusion! (With occasional shenanigan posts along the way because joy and laughter are important).” Essentially, she’s everything! Hobbies: I'm most likely doing outlines for my blog Jadetperry.com or reading new books when I'm not at work. I'm really beginning to enjoy meditation - I've found that I'm getting better at sitting still and exploring my interior world. It's taught me to take a moment and check in when everything else gets so busy. In addition, I always enjoy looking for new music to listen to - live instrumentation preferred - but I'll go with anything that exhibits a level of expertise in the craft. Some of my earliest memories involve the creative and performing arts. So, I take music and the arts (in general) pretty seriously. I really enjoy sharing music that I find classic or innovative. Quote for Black students, staff and faculty: "I came to theory desperate, wanting to comprehend-to grasp what was happening around and within me. Most importantly, I wanted to make the hurt go away. I saw in theory then a location for healing". - bell hooks (1994), Teaching to Transgress, p. 59 septemberdr. Kimberly griffin
Dr. Kimberly Griffin is the epitome of #blackgirlmagic. She was Autumn’s undergraduate McNair mentor and Tiffany’s graduate professor and therefore holds a special place in both of our hearts.
Dr. Griffin is an Associate Professor in the College of Education at the University of Maryland. Her research interests include the access and retention of graduate students and faculty, Black students and faculty, the influence of faculty-student mentoring (which she clearly also lives by), and the access and experiences of Black immigrants amongst a myriad of other things. Hobbies: “I've been a reader since I was a kid, and still will stop everything for a great novel. I love a workout that requires my complete focus - it takes my mind off of work and everything else. Right now it's all about yoga. Cooking calms me and brings me so much joy. Maybe I just like food - my husband and I take just about any experience to eat well! We also love to travel and see live music and theater. We are supposed to be taking up gardening . . .we'll see how that goes!” Quote for Black students and faculty: We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest. - The Prayer of Oscar Romero |
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