On her current position at NYU
At NYU, I am continuing my research on race, gentrification, and inequality in my hometown of Brooklyn, New York. I am also assisting the Office of the Provost with the Urban Initiative and the Strategies to Reduce Inequality Initiative, which bring students, faculty, and other stakeholders together to address challenges facing cities and their residents. The unique structure of my fellowship allows me to see how the university operates at a number of levels, from research and teaching to viewing different projects with an administrative lens and working with practitioners to apply theory and enact positive change. Overall, the whole experience has been pretty exciting.
I knew I wanted to be back in New York City. I’m really glad to be home with a community that is dear to me, and with the opportunity to tell a story that is so important at this historical moment for people here and in other cities experiencing similar transformations.
On her current and future research interests
Broadly my interests haven’t changed over the past year – I’m still interested in understanding the structures and ideologies that drive inequality and how marginalized people respond to them. My fellowship isn’t over until next year, so check back with me about my professional trajectory then!
On what has surprised her about her current position
Although I was born and raised in Brooklyn, I went away for college and graduate school, so I’ve never experienced New York City as a college town, per se. Now that I’m back home full-time and working in higher education, I’m always surprised by all of the educational resources to which I have access all at once. There are more than 100 private colleges and universities here, so I’m often overwhelmed – in the best way -- by the sheer amount of scholars with whom I can connect, archives, libraries, and historical sites I ought to visit, and truly groundbreaking research happening across the city, in a wide range of fields.
On how her training and mentorship at Brown prepared her for her current position
The faculty in Africana Studies, especially my committee members Tricia Rose, Matthew Guterl, and Tony Bogues, definitely gave me the most preparation for the challenges of my current position. They gave me the factual knowledge I needed to continue on to the next level, as well as confidence to question things I may have taken for granted and to assert myself, create knowledge, and enact change on my own. They also showed me it’s possible to be really smart and successful and really kind– which I think is an underrated aspect of many professions. I constantly find myself trying to follow their example.
How her experience at Brown influenced her career trajectory
I haven’t been away from Brown for very long, but attending the Black Alumni Reunion in September 2018 left a huge impression on me. Seeing so many people invested in the well-being and success of students who graduated decades after them – even when their time in college was difficult – was a powerful reminder of what we owe to ourselves and to one another when we have access to institutions like Brown and the resources it provides. I’m definitely carrying that message about the power of community and the importance of giving back into my work and my role as New Alumni Trustee.
On what she misses about Brown
I miss the people the most, for sure. During my six years at Brown, a lot of friends, teachers, mentors, and colleagues became like family. Between text messages, visits to campus, social media, and academic conferences, I think we’ve done a pretty good job of keeping in touch.
On her new position as a member of the Corporation of Brown University as New Alumni Trustee
During the fall of 2018, I received a mass e-mail inviting nominations for the position of New Alumni Trustee. I only glossed over it, so I was surprised to receive notice that someone had submitted my name. Being nominated and elected was very unexpected, but I’m honored and humbled by the support of my mentors and peers.
As an alumni trustee, I want to help ensure that the Board’s deliberative processes and its actions reflect the important work students, faculty, and staff have done to make the University more just. I have learned a great deal from and alongside people who have been at the vanguard of change at Brown, working to diversify the student body, the curriculum, and the professoriate, to improve graduate students’ quality of life, and to ensure that the demands of 1968 and beyond are addressed and met in good faith. My goal is to ensure that decision-making at the highest level reflects the reality that Brown’s commitment to innovation, rigor, and collaborative community-building will only be fully realized if its commitments to equity and inclusion are as well.
Amanda holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Africana Studies from Brown University, as well as an M.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in Political Science and African and African American Studies from Duke University.