Reflections from the “Gender, Race and Empire Symposium”

This past May, Dr. Lanie Millar and Dr. Leah Middlebrook invited me to the University of Oregon, Eugene for their Gender, Race and Empire Symposium. I enjoyed the company of two brilliant academics Dr. Nicholas Jones and Dr. Estefi Bournot whose work I deeply admire. These few days offered intellectual stimulation, deepening my appreciation for the richness and beauty of transnational, translanguage work in the African diaspora.

During dinners, we engaged in rich conversations about global feminisms. We discussed the works of Djamila Ribeiro and Sueli Carneiro. We explored global performance stages and reflected on humanities and language programs across the country. This gathering embodied cross-temporal and cross-geographical thinking. The symposium focused on a simple project: sharing research that explored intersections of gender, race, and empire. My former publications on Léonora Miano earned me recognition for this event, and I’m deeply grateful. If you’re wondering whether people read your publications,  yes, they do!

I chose to share a chapter of my forthcoming book The Afrofeminist Creative Praxis of French Women, specifically chapter 2 that examines afro hair. I crafted my talk to address not only this chapter but also our current technological landscape, AI and fast-growing technology. My presentation, “Textured Archives: An Afrofeminist Creative Praxis of Hair, History, and Intimate Methodologies,” connected strongly with the audience. I particularly enjoyed having Dr. Kemi Balogun respond to my chapter. Faculty and graduate students received my pre-circulated work with such generosity, which honored me deeply.

A highlight of this visit came when I co-facilitated a workshop for graduate students at U of Oregon about publications, public-facing scholarship and writing. I love sharing my experiences as someone who was once brand new to the PhD process and the US education system. I treasure sharing my experiences in academia.

When I doubt my fit, I think again.

While I never really considered documenting my academic journey as “work,” I now realize this also constitutes my public-facing work. Someone asked me, “Why do you share? Why do you post on your blog?”

This question reminded me of my MA days when I had no clue about PhD requirements. I knew even less about being a professor (tenure? I don’t know her!).

I quickly absorbed information about pursuing a PhD and becoming a professor. When I started my digital presence, I thought sharing my journey could help another Black woman from France or elsewhere who wondered about this path.

Now I’m recommitting to sharing through blogging. I’ll focus less on accomplishments and offer more about the process. I want to unveil what it’s like to be a Black woman in academia, in the humanities.

I’ll highlight the collaborative projects I’m developing and navigate research priorities in an AI-driven world that doesn’t seem to stop or slow down, but rather threatens to consume us and our creative brains alive.

This stay proved incredible! I feel thankful for doing this job and having the opportunity to converse with such brilliant scholars at U of Oregon and my co-invited speakers. Eugene, you’ve been good to me! Mèsi anpil Lanie & Leah and all of the wonderful academic community at University of Oregon!