What have you been up to since graduating from Bowdoin?
Immediately after graduating in 2018, I spent two years working in a college access program at a high school in Chicago. In that role, I provided academic enrichment to freshmen and sophomores, tutored students in STEM courses, and organized field trips and events. In 2020, I returned to school to pursue a master’s degree in urban education policy at Brown University. I completed the program in May, 2021 and, by September, had begun my PhD journey in educational policy studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. As of summer 2025, I am still at UW–Madison working on my dissertation. My independent research focuses on how to make K–12 educational systems safer for Black queer and transgender youth. During my time here, I have also continued to work with youth in advocacy, applied research, and evaluation settings.
Why Africana Studies? (What drew you to the major/minor and how has it shaped your path?)
I knew I wanted to major in African American studies (which ended up being my concentration) before I even matriculated. From a young age, I was deeply interested in Black history, Black cultures, and Black futures. While I taught myself a great deal of Black history, the only formal Black history course I had throughout my entire K–12 experience was a semester-long class in high school. I knew that once I started at Bowdoin, I was going to pursue as much formal instruction in African American studies as I could.
What kept me in Africana studies was the quality of the courses and instructors, which I believe was largely due to the interdisciplinary nature of the department. By the end of my time at Bowdoin, I had taken Africana studies courses that overlapped with sociology, history, English, and more. Both then and now, I knew I was receiving a well-rounded education that centered Blackness. Compared to other departments, I felt I had a great deal of flexibility to approach issues from multiple directions. Even as a doctoral student, I continue to be drawn to the same kinds of interdisciplinary approaches to research that I first encountered in Africana studies.
Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?
There were four Africana studies professors who made a significant impact on me, my work, and how I think about the world around me. Without each of them, I don’t think I would have gotten as much out of Bowdoin as I did. Geoffrey Canada Associate Professor of Africana Studies Judith Casselberry first showed me the beauty of how interdisciplinary Africana studies could be, which inspired me to branch out. I was only able to take one course with Professor Casselberry during my first semester, but as my advisor for my first two years, she shared a great deal of wisdom and guidance with me. PProfessor of History Patrick Rael’s approach to teaching history made it feel like I was learning stories, not just facts, and that is something I try to replicate in my own instruction and facilitation. Professor Rael also transformed the way I approach writing papers, and I still use what I learned from him in my graduate-level writing.
Associate Professor of Africana Studies and History Brian Purnell inspired me to take an interest in sociological approaches to Africana studies, specifically through his Urban Crisis class. His use of multimedia—including songs, TV shows, and documentaries—to teach made learning about Black history exciting, and I try to replicate that when I am teaching or facilitating. As my advisor for my last two years, he also guided me through my honors project, which heavily influenced the work I do now.
Associate Professor of English Guy Mark Foster literally changed the way I think about the world around me. He inspired me to question the categories we often live by, such as “race,” “Blackness,” and “masculinity.” This was incredibly important to me, but Professor Foster also created space for me to begin thinking about intersectionality, particularly as it relates to Blackness and gender. The courses I took with him and the papers I wrote for him are in many ways precursors to my current research. I believe his classes were the origin of my love for Black queer theorizing, and I am forever grateful for that.
