ABOUT ME
Born and raised in the small town of Smiths Grove, Kentucky, I think of myself as being more than just a scholar. I know the value of community, the power of advocacy, and the importance of valuing the marginalized. I am a proponent of "Because of them, we can" and that echoes in all of my work.
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Generally, my scholarship focuses on Black music and culture. Specifically, I evaluate Black sacred music and its international appropriation, and popular youth culture and music in West Africa.
In addition to being a music scholar, I am also an advocate for educational equity and diversifying pedagogy. For many years Black scholars were omitted from the discourse of their own music, children were neglected from the conversation on their culture and daily activities, and the presence of diversity was abandoned from teaching curriculums. My work, as an educator and advocate for educational development, is to implement the voice of the practitioners into our narratives and curriculum.
