Alumni Stories
The Department of Africana Studies celebrates the dynamic impact they have made on the communities of the African Diaspora.
Our graduates have careers in law, politics, medicine, public health, education, community organizing, journalism, consulting, and film We want to hear from you.
Do you have a story about how Africana Studies changed your life? What is important for incoming students to know about Africana Studies?
Learn about the black alumni chapter
Notable Alumni
Preston Mitchum ‘10
- Director of Policy, URGE (Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity)
Robin A. Wright
- Associate Director of Social Change and Leadership, Diversity Leadership Coach, Racial healing
DaMareo Cooper ‘08
- Executive Director, National Organizing Director BlackPAC and board member of the Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee. Former Executive Director Ohio Organizing Collaborative
Krista Franklin ‘94
- Poet and visual artist, co-founder of Tres Colony: an artist collective, artwork has been displayed on the FOX television drama series “Empire” and on the covers of award winning books.
Testimonials
Kevin Conwell, Cleveland City Councilman, Ward 9
“I really enjoyed my educational experience as a Pan-African Studies major. This program provided me with great role models who were genuinely concerned about addressing community problems and formulating strategies and alternative solutions to make the quality of life better for people.”
Victoria Jackson, '12, State Policy Fellow, Policy Matters Ohio
"The Department of Pan-African Studies provided me with the foundation for understanding how historical and contemporary systems of oppression harm and deny Black people opportunity. "
Damareo Cooper, '08, Executive Director, BlackPAC
“The Department of Pan-African Studies gave me the knowledge, tools, and confidence I needed in order to understand systemic inequality and its impact on my community."
Robin A. Wright, Assistant Director of Social Change & Leadership, University of Cincinnati
“My academic experience at Kent State has been largely shaped and impacted by the Department of Pan-African Studies."