Social and Cultural Anthropology Program

Please tell us a little about your "life before CIIS."

I was raised in and around Washington, D.C. and northern Virginia, as well as in Charlotte, North Carolina. Before I enrolled at CIIS, I was the assistant director of the Women's Community Center at Stanford University, a position I hold today while I attend the Institute. Previously I worked in multicultural affairs and was a clinical social worker.

Why did you choose the Social and Cultural Anthropology program at CIIS?

I sat in on a class with Angana Chatterji and I was hooked. I loved the intellectual rigor of the classroom, and the program's curriculum reflected a commitment to understanding multiple perspectives on issues, cultures, and communities, which are often presented narrowly.

What specifically appeals to you about CIIS?

I like its size. I'm partial to smaller educational environments because I feel that they tend to offer more opportunities to directly challenge my thinking. I also appreciate how the Social and Cultural Anthropology program engages many frameworks, which forces students to think about the geographical locations and histories that influence their learning experiences. This makes CIIS a very different learning environment.

What has been the most significant and/or exciting aspect of studying in this department and at CIIS?

I have a very sincere and deep respect for my peers and the instructors. The different experiences that other students bring to the learning within the Social and Cultural Anthropology program make me feel like I am a part of a learning community and not simply attending a school that isolates itself from the world. The students work very hard in the program to support the efforts of others. We're not perfect, but we are committed to having an impact on the world.

Describe how and why a specific course, book, or project has had a significant impact on you and your life.

I would say that my Representations of the Other class with Mutombo Mpanya and Anthropological Research Methods with Angana Chatterji have been two of the most significant courses for me. Both classes effectively demonstrated the challenges that we must face in order to develop knowledge, as well as to communicate the impact of ideas and images on the lives of individuals and communities.

These courses, among others, have contributed to how I approach my professional work in multicultural affairs, as well as my political and personal commitments. I'm constantly thinking about the language I use and what I am seeking to communicate in my writing and speaking.

What is unique or special about the CIIS community?

I am firmly embedded in the Social and Cultural Anthropology community at CIIS. It is a necessary space for me to think about what works and doesn't work in my efforts to create relationships across various communities. I think the commitment of the instructors to their students, of students to their instructors, and of students to each other is strong and very special.

Describe your current projects.

Presently I am in the early stages of developing relationships with individuals and communities on the Sea Islands of South Carolina, where the majority of my family is from. I am also very active with Rape Trauma Services in San Mateo County. This summer I had the opportunity to teach Sociocultural Concepts, a required first-year graduate course on social work and institutional oppression at the Smith College School for Social Work.

In June 2004, I presented at the National Conference On Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education, as well as at the National Women's Studies Association. My presentations focused on the impact of the academy on women of color graduate students.

What are your plans after you graduate from CIIS?

I plan to continue my work in higher education. I would also like to be able to continue my administrative work in a more senior position and teach a few classes, if an opportunity presents itself. I will always be part of a larger community of women of color who are committed to expanding our understandings of intellectual production and connecting that work to issues of justice.

Social and Cultural Anthropology Program