In 2018, Dr. Phillis Isabella Sheppard received a faculty research grant from The Louisville Institute for her research project, and conference, “This Is My Story: Womanist Ethnography and Black Woman’s Vocation.” Dr. Sheppard invited two doctoral students, Kishundra King and Aly Benitez, to serve as Research Assistants for the planning of the conference and they have continued, as senior research assistants, in these roles for the 2019 and 2021 conferences.

They are now joined by our newest research assistant, Erica J. Johnson. Using an emergent design process, the womanist ethnography conference mirrors the planning process. Emphasis is placed on dialogue, listening, curiosity, and the social location of Black Diaspora experience.