Profile:

My research focuses on intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, class, and sexuality as it examines representation. I am invested in the exploration of body politics in relation to these specific intersections. I employ Critical Race, Black Feminist, and Womanist theories and cultural criticisms to examine the representation of these intersections in visual and narrative cultures. More specifically, my dissertation focuses on the ways that corpulence intersects with race, gender, class, and sexuality to shape specific performativities in visual and narrative cultures. I have presented my work nationally, which includes such working titles as “Innocence Lost: The Invisibility of Black Female Victimization in the Publicized Sex Cases of R. Kelly ,“ “He’s the Pimp of the Year’….and Decade’: Pimp Iconography, Manliness, Spectatorship and the Negation of Female Agency in The Mack,” and “United We Stand!...Well, except for the Big Easy’: Hurricane Katrina and the Construction of Nation in Post 9/11 America.”  Many of my research interests include, Critical Race studies, whiteness studies, feminist film theory, Black feminisms, Womanisms, popular culture, women of color writing cultures, body politics, Black cultural productions, and Black folklore.

Education:

Ph.D Candidate in Women’s Studies, The Ohio State University

Master of Arts in African American and African Studies, The Ohio State University

Master of Arts in Women’s Studies, The Ohio State University

Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Otterbein College

Classes:

Courses I am Currently Teaching:

Ethnic Studies 1010 Introduction to Ethnic Studies

Ethnic Studies 1200 Introduction to Black Studies

Ethnic Studies 3050 Women of Color in the US

Ethnic Studies 3200 Literature of Black Nationalism

Ethnic Studies 3400 Afro-American Cinematic Experience