TALKS
JeffriAnne Wilder | Race Talk: Activating the Power of Self-Definition
Racism, sexism, and other interlocking oppressions can create an “outsider-within” status for many black women in higher education, particularly those who are working as professors. But an informal rule in academia is that one must never speak openly about this divide, nor fight back against the persistent devaluation of black female intellectualism.
Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder offers a personal narrative of her own experiences at mostly white educational institutions, and address the challenges, risks and rewards she encountered when she finally decided to break her silence.
Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder is a sociologist and scholar specializing in diversity, race relations and gender issues. She is currently a tenured Associate Professor of Sociology and the Founding Director of the Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations at the University of North Florida.
Dr. Wilder holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Florida. In addition to her studies in sociology, JeffriAnne also completed a concentration in Women's Studies and Gender Research. Dr. Wilder completed her M.A. in Sociology from Cleveland State University, and a B.A. from Allegheny College. Her areas of research interest include race and ethnic relations, minorities in higher education, women of color in the U.S., qualitative methodology, and the sociology of teaching and learning.
A key area of JeffriAnne’s work focuses on examining the impact of this persistent issue of colorism within the black community, specifically among black women and girls in the era of "post-racialism." Her book on this issue, Color Stories: Black Women and Colorism in the 21st Century, was published in October 2015.
Dr. Wilder is the recipient of many research and teaching awards, and was named as one of Jacksonville’s Top 30 Women of Influence in 2015 and 2016. Her work has been published in an array of academic journals and publications, and she regularly speaks on race, gender, and diversity issues.
As a public scholar, Dr. Wilder has been featured in a host of local, national, and international media outlets including First Coast News, the Florida Times-Union, Black Enterprise, The Grio, National Public Radio, HuffPost Live, The Takeaway, Nightline, 20/20, and the New York Times.
