Research.

 

I am a sociologist and ethnographer who studies how the daily practices we engage in highlight the occurrence of inequality, resistance, and social change in our society. 

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In all of my work, I am interested in understanding the resistance strategies adopted by groups that have been historically excluded from full participation in U.S. democratic processes. Currently, my work centers the organizing efforts of Black transgender led organizations in the U.S. South and the strategies that they adopt to survive in volatile, contentious political environments. I examine how race and gender based inequality are reproduced as these organizations compete with other local organizations for status, power, and resources. 

 

My theoretical approach links models of organizational behavior to theories of inequality offered by feminist and race scholars. I ultimately reveal how inequality can emerge not only from within, but also across and between community organizations, creating advantages for some while disadvantaging others. I take this a step further by considering how the resistance strategies that organizations adopt might radically transform organizational environments by facilitating the redistribution of resources in ways that create new opportunities for their constituents.

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