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“Virginia Humanities has announced seven new recipients of its HBCU Scholars Fellowships, bringing together a diverse group of educators, writers and researchers from historically Black colleges and universities in Virginia and North Carolina.
“‘Through their research and public engagement, our fellows demonstrate the enduring relevance of the humanities and collectively confront some of the most pressing social and cultural questions of our time,’ said Yosef Medina, Virginia Humanities’ director of strategic initiatives. ‘The HBCU fellowship represents a vital investment in cultivating diverse scholarship and amplifying underrepresented narratives at a time when intellectual freedom and public discourse around inclusion are increasingly contested.’
This fellowship will personally help me reconnect with my voice as a writer and scholar …
“Established in 2021, the fellowship program provides financial support, access to publishing outlets, professional development and a peer community for scholars and creatives from HBCUs. The initiative is designed to elevate voices often left out of mainstream academic spaces while nurturing new research and storytelling that reflect the depth of the Black experience.
“Among this year’s fellows is Kemba Smith-Pradia [Leading with Conviction™ 2019] of Virginia Union University, whose project ‘Virginia’s Prodigal Daughter’ draws from her 25 years as a criminal justice advocate.
“‘This fellowship will personally help me reconnect with my voice as a writer and scholar by providing the support, visibility and intellectual community I need,’ Smith-Pradia said. ‘It will allow me to transform over 25 years of lived experience as a criminal justice advocate into work that connects history, research, policy and politics while bridging the power of storytelling, justice and social impact.’
“Smith-Pradia first gained national attention in the 1990s after being sentenced to federal prison in connection with her boyfriend’s drug activity — a case that drew widespread calls for sentencing reform. She was granted clemency by President Bill Clinton in 2000, and her story was recently dramatized in the BET+ film Kemba, renewing attention to her ongoing advocacy for justice reform.”
Thank you so much for supporting our mission here at JLUSA! Your donation helps to support our network of leaders working to dismantle oppressive systems and uplift people and families impacted by mass incarceration across the country.
All charitable donations made to JLUSA are fully tax deductible, as allowable by the IRS.
