Welcome
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Howard University. I earned my Ph.D. in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Southern California in 2022. That same year, I received the USC Ph.D. Achievement Award. My research examines how violence shapes Black women’s political behavior, attitudes, and relationships with the state. My work focuses on the political consequences of violence, including how negative encounters with law enforcement influence Black women’s perceptions of government and political identity. My most recent publication, with the Journal of Race and Ethnic Politics, examines how maternal status and experiences with law enforcement impact Black women's community-oriented political engagement.
My forthcoming book, Saving Ourselves: How Black Women Resist the Police State, is an interdisciplinary study of the political consequences of over-policing and under-protecting Black women. Through storytelling, archival research, and critical policy analysis, the book explores how racism, classism, and patriarchy create conditions of vulnerability to multiple forms of violence while simultaneously fueling deep skepticism toward law enforcement. By centering Black women’s lived experiences, Saving Ourselves conceptualizes political power and resistance and offers a framework for understanding the intersections of race, gender, and community politics.
My scholarship has been recognized with several awards, including the American Political Science Association Minority Serving Institution Virtual Book Workshop Award (2024) and the Rodney Higgins Best Faculty Paper Award from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists (2025).
My forthcoming book, Saving Ourselves: How Black Women Resist the Police State, is an interdisciplinary study of the political consequences of over-policing and under-protecting Black women. Through storytelling, archival research, and critical policy analysis, the book explores how racism, classism, and patriarchy create conditions of vulnerability to multiple forms of violence while simultaneously fueling deep skepticism toward law enforcement. By centering Black women’s lived experiences, Saving Ourselves conceptualizes political power and resistance and offers a framework for understanding the intersections of race, gender, and community politics.
My scholarship has been recognized with several awards, including the American Political Science Association Minority Serving Institution Virtual Book Workshop Award (2024) and the Rodney Higgins Best Faculty Paper Award from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists (2025).
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