Karen Gaffney

Education

• PhD, English, University of Delaware, May 2003
• Dissertation: “Narrating Difference: Contemporary American Women Writers v. Critical Race Theorists.” This dissertation employs critical race theory to analyze multiple intersections of difference within the novels of Joyce Carol Oates, Dorothy Allison, Amy Tan, Julia Alvarez, and Toni Morrison. Director: Alvina Quintana
• MA, English, University of Delaware, 1998
• BA with Honors, College of Letters, Wesleyan University, 1994
• Thesis: “The Haunted Female Artist: Joyce Carol Oates and the Unconscious”

Work Experience

• Professor, English Department, Raritan Valley Community College, NJ, 2014-present
• Chair, English Department, Raritan Valley Community College, 2011-2014
• Associate Professor, English Department, Raritan Valley Community College, 2010-2014
• Assistant Professor, English Department, Raritan Valley Community College, 2006-2010
• Instructor, English Department, Raritan Valley Community College, 2003-2006
• Adjunct Instructor, English Department, Lincoln University, PA, 2002-2003

Publications

• “Countering the Rise of White Nationalism.” Inside Higher Ed, 16 February 2023, https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2023/02/16/colleges-need-address-rise-white-nationalism-opinion
• “Are White People Really in Decline?: No, but when the mainstream media reports changing racial demographics as a contest for social domination, they validate white supremacists’ worst fears.” Public Seminar, 15 September 2021, https://publicseminar.org/essays/census-ethnicity-question-white-decline/
• “One Karen’s Perspective on Our Whitewashed History: The attacks on critical race theory are only the latest chapter in the American fight against equality and justice.” Public Seminar, 21 July 2021, https://publicseminar.org/2021/07/one-karens-perspective-on-our-whitewashed-history/
• “From stigma to solution: Centering the community college through activism in the classroom and the community.” Routledge International Handbook of Working-Class Studies edited by Michele Fazio, Christie Launius, and Tim Strangleman, Routledge, 2021, pp. 413-424.
• “Why the False Belief that Race Is Biological Needs To Be Confronted.” Indivisible Lambertville/New Hope Newsletter, 6 February 2020, https://indivisiblelnh.com/2020/02/06/why-the-false-belief-that-race-is-biological-needs-to-be-confronted/?mc_cid=ba2944b341&mc_eid=a185f15dbc
• “How Amazon’s ‘Homecoming’ Reveals Toxic White Womanhood.” PopMatters, 23 January 2019, https://www.popmatters.com/how-amazons-homecoming-reveals-toxic-white-womanhood-2626901192.html
• Dismantling the Racism Machine: A Manual and Toolbox. Routledge, 2018.
• “Confronting the U.S. Census as a Weapon of White Supremacy.” Public Seminar, 17 December 2018, http://www.publicseminar.org/2018/12/confronting-the-u-s-census-as-a-weapon-of-white-supremacy/
• “What Does White Complicity Look Like?” NJCitizens4Change, 22 August 2018, https://www.nj7citizensforchange.org/what_does_white_complicity_look_like
• Book Review. White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America. Working Class Studies Association Newsletter, Fall 2016, pp. 21-23. https://wcstudiesassociation.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/fall2016newsletter-3.pdf
• “Scandal in the Age of The New Jim Crow.” PopMatters, 24 May 2016, https://www.popmatters.com/standing-in-the-sun-scandal-in-the-age-of-the-new-jim-crow-2495436178.html
• “Whiteness as Cursed Property: An Interdisciplinary Intervention with Joyce Carol Oates’s Bellefleur and Cheryl Harris’s ‘Whiteness as Property’.” Bearing Witness: Joyce Carol Oates Studies, vol. 2, no. 3, 2015, http://repository.usfca.edu/jcostudies/vol2/iss1/3/
• “Navigating the Gender Box: Locating Masculinity in the Introduction to Women and Gender Studies Course.” Men and Masculinities, vol. 14, no. 2, 2011, pp. 190-209. Web. Co-written with Andrew J. Manno.
• “Ideology and Otherness in Lost: ‘Stuck in a Bloody Snow Globe.” The Ultimate Lost and Philosophy: Think Together, Die Alone, edited by Sharon Kaye, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011, pp. 187-204.
• “‘The Others Are Coming’: Ideology and Otherness in Lost.” Lost and Philosophy: The Island Has Its Reasons, edited by Sharon Kaye, Blackwell Publishing, 2008, pp. 136-147.
• “Teaching Julia Alvarez’s ¡Yo!” in Reading U.S. Latina Writers: Remapping American Literature, edited by Alvina Quintana, St. Martin’s Press, 2003, pp. 15-23.
• “‘Excavated from the Inside’: White Trash and Dorothy Allison’s Cavedweller.” Modern Language Studies, vol. 32, no. 1, Spring 2002, pp. 43-57.

Courses Taught

Raritan Valley Community College, NJ

• English Composition I with Workshop ◦ English Composition I and II
• Global Patterns of Racism ◦ Race in American Literature and Popular Culture
• Women in Literature ◦ Introduction to Women and Gender Studies
• American Literature: Colonial through the Civil War ◦ Post-Civil War to the Present
• Introduction to Literature ◦ Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism

English Department, Lincoln University, PA

• Composition I

University of Delaware, DE

• Critical Reading and Writing ◦ Expository Writing
• Introduction to Women’s Studies ◦ Introduction to Feminist Theory
• Women Writers ◦ Women and Violence
• Approaches to Literature ◦ Texts and Contexts
• American Literature: to the Civil War ◦ Civil War to WW2

Conference Presentations

• Co-presenter with Dr. Melanie Lenahan and Jalissa Mitchell. “Giving Students Agency Over their Learning: Debunking the Myth that Race is Biological.” 4th Annual Undergraduate Genetics Education Network Virtual Workshop, January 2024.
• Breakout session. “Tackling Controversial Topics through the Humanities.” Bringing Community Back to Community Colleges. NJ Council for the Humanities and NJ Council of County Colleges. Bergen Community College, March 2023.
• All-day Pre-Conference Institute. “Dismantling the Racism Machine: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” White Privilege Conference, April 2021 (virtual).
• Break-out Session. “Dismantling the Racism Machine: Why White People Must Confront the Resurgence of the ‘Race is Biological’ Myth and Its Perpetuation of White Supremacy.” White Privilege Conference, April 2021 (virtual).
• Break-out session. “Breaking Up With the White Moderate Once and for All.” Netroots Nation, August 2020 (virtual).
• All-day Pre-Conference Institute. “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: Myths Taught to White Educators that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” NCORE, New York City, May 2020. [conference cancelled due to COVID-19]
• Break-out Session. “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: Why White People Must Confront the Resurgence of the ‘Race is Biological’ Myth and Its Perpetuation of White Supremacy.” White Privilege Conference, Mesa, Arizona, April 2020. [conference cancelled due to COVID-19]
• All-day Pre-Conference Institute. “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” White Privilege Conference, Mesa, Arizona, April 2020. [conference cancelled due to COVID-19]
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: What White Educators Are Not Taught about White Supremacy.” NCORE, Portland, Oregon, May 2019.
• All-day Pre-Conference Institute. “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” White Privilege Conference, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 2019.
• Break-out Session. “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” White Privilege Conference, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 2019.
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: What White Educators Are Not Taught about White Supremacy.” Wake Up! Critical Pedagogy for Critical Times Conference, Rutgers-Newark Urban Teacher Education Program, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, October 2018.
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: What White People Are Not Taught About White Supremacy.” (Workshop) Working-Class Studies Association, Stony Brook University, June 2018.
• “‘Why Didn’t I Learn This Before?’: What White People Are Not Taught about White Supremacy and
  What We Can Do About It.” White Privilege Conference, Grand Rapids, Michigan, April 2018.
• “‘Get Your People’: White Anti-Racist Educators and White Communities.” National Association for Ethnic Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, March 2018.
• “Pedagogies of Dissent in Three Locations: Teaching Race in the Community College, the Community, and in Prison.” American Studies Association, Chicago, November 2017.
• “Never Woke Enough: Talking to White People about White Supremacy.” Netroots Nation, Atlanta, August 2017.
• “I Won’t Be Silent: Speaking out against White Supremacy in Private and Public Conversations.” Co-presenter. The White Privilege Conference, Kansas City, April 2017.
• “Moving Beyond Colorblindness and White Guilt: Teaching a Community College Course on Race in the Age of #BlackLivesMatter.” Modern Language Association, Philadelphia, January 2017.
• “Moving Beyond White Guilt: How to Talk to Whites About Systemic Racism.” Netroots Nation, St. Louis, July 2016.
• “Tipping Points in Recognizing Injustice: Reading The New Jim Crow at a Community College, a Prison, and a Church.” How Class Works Conference, Center for Study of Working Class Life, Stony Brook University, June 2016.
• “‘When the Curtain Falls, Community Action Begins’: Dismantling White Supremacy through Theatre and Community Action in the Age of The New Jim Crow.” Co-presenter. The White Privilege Conference. Philadelphia, April 2016.
• “Critical Race Theory in Action: Talking to White People About ‘the Permanence of Racism’.” Race (In)Action: 2016 Critical Race Theory Conference at Yale, Yale Law School, April 2016.
• “Scandal in the Age of The New Jim Crow.” Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association, Seattle, March 2016.
• “‘But Poor People Don’t Live Here’: What Does it Mean to Teach Inequality at a Community College in Two of the Top Ten Richest American Counties (says Forbes)?” Fighting Inequality, Joint Conference of the Labor and Working-Class History Association and the Working-Class Studies Association. Georgetown University, Washington DC, May 2015.
• “Whiteness as Trespassed Property: Uniting Cheryl Harris and Novelist Joyce Carol Oates in Challenging the Status Quo.” Critical Race Studies Seventh Annual Symposium. “Whiteness as Property”: A Twenty Year Appraisal. UCLA Law School, October 2014.
• “Through the Lens of Social Class: Teaching Students in Poverty and Teaching Students About Poverty.” Co-presenter. How Class Works Conference, Center for Study of Working Class Life, State University of New York, Stony Brook, June 2014.
• “Empowering Community College Students through a Social Action Assignment.” Two Year College English Association Northeast (TYCA-NE), Morristown, NJ, October 2013.
• “Using Pop Culture in the Composition Classroom at Raritan Valley Community College.” Co-presenter. New Jersey Writing Alliance, Middlesex County College, May 2013.
• “Supporting Sixty: Challenges and Best Practices for Adjuncts.” Co-presenter. Faculty of the Future, Bucks County Community College, June 2012.
• “Navigating the Gender Box: Locating Masculinity in the Introduction to Women and Gender Studies Course.” Mid-Atlantic Women’s Studies Association, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ, April 2010.
• “You Can Take it with You: Transforming Teaching and Encouraging Social Action in the Intro Course.” Co-presenter. Mid-Atlantic Women’s Studies Association Conference, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, March 2009.
• “Making Masculinity Visible: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack in the Intro Course.” Co-presenter. Mid-Atlantic Women’s Studies Conference, Abington, PA, March 2008.
• “Men’s Studies is from Mars, Women’s Studies is from Venus, But Not if We Can Help It: Bridging the Gap in the Intro. Course.” Co-presenter. Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association, Boston, April 2007.
• “‘The Others Are Coming’: Navigating Race in TV’s Lost.” Society for the Study of Multi-Ethnic Literatures of the United States, Boca Raton, Florida, April 2006.
• “From The Joy Luck Club to Better Luck Tomorrow: Negotiating the Construction of Asian Americans as the Model Minority.” Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association, Atlanta, April 2006.
• “Whiteness Haunted: Joyce Carol Oates’ Bellefleur and Critical Race Theory.” Northeast Modern Language Association, Philadelphia, March 2006.
• “Critical Race Theorists as Storytellers: Why Aren’t We Listening?” Community College Humanities Association, Boston, November 2005.
• “Remaking The Stepford Wives in the Age of The Swan: Beauty, Women, and Power.” Women & Society Conference, Marist College, September 2005.
• “Dancing in the Dark: Reading Race in Contemporary Dance Films.” Society for the Study of Multi-Ethnic Literatures of the United States, Chicago, April 2005.
• “Toni Morrison and Derrick Bell: ‘We Have Made Progress in Everything Yet Nothing Has Changed.’” American Women Writers of Color Conference, Baltimore, November 2004.
• “Bringing Down the (Master’s) House?” Society for the Study of Multi-Ethnic Literatures of the United States, San Antonio, Texas, March 2004.
• “Creating ‘White Trash’: The Family Studies of the Eugenics Movement.” Mid-Atlantic Popular Culture/American Culture Association Conference, Wilmington, Delaware, November 2003.
• “Searching for Home-Place: Intersecting Identities in Danzy Senna’s Caucasia.” Society for the Study of Multi-Ethnic Literatures of the United States, Boca Raton, Florida, April 2003.
• “Resisting White Privilege: Interracial and Interclass Friendship in Dorothy Allison’s Cavedweller.” Northeast Modern Language Association, Boston, March 2003.
• “Teaching Women Writers in the Women’s Studies Classroom.” Mid-Atlantic Women’s Studies Association Conference, Philadelphia Community College, February 2003.
• “Teaching Julia Alvarez’s ¡Yo!” Middle Atlantic Latin American Studies Conference, University of Delaware, March 2002.
• “Asian American Critical Race Theory: An Intervention in The Joy Luck Club Debate.” American Women Writers of Color Conference, Ocean City, Maryland, October 2001.
• “In Dialogue: Feminist Theory, Critical Race Theory, and Literary Studies.” Critical Theory & Race: Contesting the Racial Contract, Purdue University, March 2001.
• “Women’s Studies Meets Whiteness Studies.” Mid-Atlantic Women’s Studies Association Conference, University of Delaware, February 2001.
• “The Portrait of the Artist as a Black Woman: The Artist Characters of Ntozake Shange and Sapphire.” American Women Writers of Color Conference, Ocean City, Maryland, October 1999.
• “‘Excavated from the Inside’: Whiteness, White Trash, and Dorothy Allison’s Cavedweller,” Northeast Modern Language Association, Pittsburgh, April 1999.

Ongoing Community Workshops

• “Community Course on Racism.” Co-facilitator. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Somerset Hills, Somerville, NJ, October 2016-present (one meeting per month).
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine.” A weekly 4-lecture series, Summit Public Library, Summit, NJ, July-August 2020 (via Zoom).
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine: A Beginning Workshop Series for White People.” Hunterdon County Anti-Racism Coalition, NJ, July 2020 (via Zoom).
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine.” A weekly 8-lecture series, Bernards Township Library, Basking Ridge, NJ, March-May 2019.
• Book discussion of Dismantling the Racism Machine: A Manual and Toolbox. St. Bernard’s Episcopal Church, Bernardsville, NJ, March-May 2019.
• “Community Course on Racism.” Co-facilitator. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Somerset Hills, Somerville, NJ, Sept. 2017-Nov. 2017 (5 sessions).
• “Community Course on Racism.” Co-facilitator. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Somerset Hills, Somerville, NJ. Oct. 21, 2017.

Antiracism Trainings for Organizations

• with Dr. Alexis Jemal: “Why (not) talk about race?” St. Martin’s Episcopal School Board of Trustees, Atlanta, Georgia, September 2021 (via Zoom)
• with Dr. Alexis Jemal: “Antiracism for Volunteers Series,” True Mentors, 4 sessions, September 2020 – April 2021 (via Zoom)
• with Dr. Alexis Jemal: “A Racial Justice Journey: Creating a Sustained, Lifelong Practice of Antiracism,” Southeastern Theatre Conference, 5 sessions, August – December 2020 (via Zoom)

Selected Presentations

• “Unlearning False Racial Myths.” NAACP of Hunterdon County, Hunterdon County Library, Flemington, NJ, November 2023.
• “Confronting White Nationalism in Schools Toolkit Training.” Hunterdon County Anti-Racism Coalition, October 2023 (virtual).
• Snapshot presenter with Dr. Melanie Lenahan. “Creating a Framework for Students to Debunk the Myth that Race Is Biological.” Community College Summit for Pedagogical Advancements in STEM, Raritan Valley Community College, Branchburg, NJ, September 2023.
• Workshop co-facilitator. “What Does It Mean to Be Inclusive? Why Does It Matter?” Summer Institute. Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship. Raritan Valley Community College, Branchburg, NJ, May 2023.
• Facilitator. Book discussion of How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America. Summit Interfaith Council Antiracism Committee, Summit, NJ, April 2023. (in-person and virtual)
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine: Unlearning False Racial Myths.” Roxbury Public Library, Succasunna, NJ, February 2023. (virtual)
• “What RVCC Can Do to Inoculate Students Against White Nationalism?” Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship. Raritan Valley Community College, January 2023.
• “Questioning the Questions of the US Census.” NJ Council for the Humanities, Democracy Conversation Project, Historical Society of Plainfield and Drake Museum, Plainfield, NJ, November 2022 (virtual).
• Facilitator. Book discussion of The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together. Summit Free Public Library, NJ, October 2022. (in-person and virtual)
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine: Unlearning False Racial Myths.” Temple B’nai Or, Morristown, NJ, March 2022. (virtual)
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine: Unlearning False Racial Myths.” Temple Sinai of Summit, NJ, February 2022. (virtual)
• Panelist. Consultation on Conscience. Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple, New Brunswick, NJ, December 2021.
• Closing Keynote. “Unlearning False Racial Myths.” 9th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum. October 2021 (virtual).
• Keynote. “Critical Race Theory and Resisting Whitewashed History.” Navigating the Times: A Critical Race Theory Conference. September 2021 (virtual).
• Workshop co-facilitated with Emilie Stander: “Why is the Belief that Race is Biological False and Dangerous? Why does it matter?” Summer Institute, Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship. Raritan Valley Community College, May 2021 (virtual).
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine: Unlearning False Racial Myths.” Temple B’Nai Or, Morristown, NJ, March 2021 (virtual).
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine: Unlearning False Racial Myths.” Anti-Racism Series, Temple Sinai, Summit, NJ, February 2021 (virtual).
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” League of Women Voters, Livingston, NJ, November 2020 (virtual).
• “Developing an Antiracist Mindset for Teachers.” Montgomery High School, NJ, October 2020 (virtual).
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy,” New Jersey Chapter of the Association for College & Research Libraries, October 2020 (virtual).
• “Developing an Antiracist Mindset for Teachers.” Wilmington Friends School, Delaware, August 2020 (virtual).
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” Human Services Academy, Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders, NJ, July 2020 (virtual).
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine.” Cedar Crest Senior Living Community, Pequannock Township, NJ, July 2020 (virtual).
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine.” Indivisible Lambertville New Hope, July 2020 (virtual).
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” Bridgewater Anti-Racist Coalition, NJ, June 2020 (virtual).
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem, PA, June 2020 (virtual).
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: What White People Are Not Taught About White Supremacy.” Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, NJ, February 2020.
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine.” Performance with The Meta Theatre Company. Anti-Racism Community Collaborative, Shady Rest at Scotch Hills, Scotch Plains, NJ, January 2020.
• “Dismantling the Myth that Race is Biological.” Performance with The Meta Theatre Company. Doing What Is Ours To Resist Racism, MLK at The Unitarian Society, East Brunswick, NJ, January 2020.
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine.” Piscataway High School, NJ, January 2020.
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine.” Performance with The Meta Theatre Company. Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, Ridgewood, NJ, November 2019.
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” Indivisible Lambertville New Hope, Lambertville Public Library, NJ, November 2019.
• “Questioning the Questions of the US Census.” Pequannock Township Public Library, Pompton Plains, NJ, November 2019.
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine.” Drew University, Madison, NJ, October 2019.
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine.” Cedar Crest, Pompton Plains, NJ, September 2019.
• “Why don’t we talk about whiteness? What is it? Why does it matter?” Raritan Valley Community College, Branchburg, NJ, April 2019.
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, Morristown, NJ, April 2019.
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine.” Performance with The Meta Theatre Company. And Justice for All: An Evening of Art & Conversation on Social Justice and Equality. Raritan Valley Community College, Branchburg, NJ, March 2019.
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” Or Chadash, The Reform Temple of Hunterdon County, NJ, March 2019.
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: Myths Taught to White People that Perpetuate White Supremacy.” Pequannock Township Public Library, Pompton Plains, NJ, March 2019.
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine.” Performance with The Meta Theatre Company. Hunterdon County Anti-Racism Coalition, Flemington, NJ, March 2019.
• “Dismantling the Racism Machine.” Performance with The Meta Theatre Company. Buckingham Friends Meeting, Lahaska, PA, February 2019.
• “Scenes from ‘Dismantling the Racism Machine: A Manual and Toolbox’.” Performance with The Meta Theatre Company. North Hunterdon MLK Day of Service. Lower Valley Presbyterian Church, Califon, NJ, January 2019.
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: What White People Are Not Taught about White Supremacy.” Employee training. SAFE of Hunterdon County, Flemington, NJ, January 2019.
• Keynote Lecture: “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: What White People Are Not Taught about White Supremacy.” Social Justice Symposium. University of North Carolina at Pembroke, October 2018.
• “Challenging our Understandings of Race.” Blawenburg Reformed Church, Montgomery Township, NJ, October 2018.
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: What White People Are Not Taught about White Supremacy.” Temple Sha’arey Shalom, Springfield, NJ, October 2018.
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: What White People Are Not Taught about White Supremacy.” Volunteer training. SAFE of Hunterdon County, Flemington, NJ, October 2018.
• “‘Why Didn’t I Learn This Before?’ Unlearning Myths of Race and Racism.” East Brunswick Public Library, NJ, September 2018.
• “Meta Theatre Performs ‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’.” RVCC Women’s Center. Raritan Valley Community College. September, 2018.
• “Community Conversation: Dismantling the Racism Machine.” Not In Our Town Montgomery, Blawenburg Reformed Church, August 2018.
• “‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: What White People Are Not Taught About White Supremacy.” Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship, Raritan Valley Community College, May 2018.
• “Meta Performs ‘Dismantling the Racism Machine’: Community Dialogue.” Co-presenter, Central Jersey Community Coalition, Somerville, NJ, May 2018.
• “Book Talk on ‘Dismantling the Racism Machine: A Manual and Toolbox’.” Hunterdon County Anti-Racism Coalition, Flemington, NJ, May 2018.
• “White Feminism and the Challenge of Intersectionality.” Women’s Center. Raritan Valley Community College, February 2018.
• “’Why Didn’t I Learn This Before?’: Unlearning Myths of Race and Racism.” Parsippany Hills High School, NJ, February 2018.
• “‘Why Didn’t I Learn This Before?’: Unlearning Myths of Race and Racism.” Woodbridge Library, NJ, February 2018.
• “‘Why Didn’t I Learn This Before?’: Unlearning Myths of Race and Racism.” Raritan Valley Community College, January 2018.
• “What White People Are Not Taught about Whiteness and White Supremacy.” March for Racial Justice, Trenton, NJ, October 2017.
• “Never Woke Enough.” Hunterdon County Anti-Racism Coalition, Flemington, NJ, July 2017.
• “What Most People Don’t Understand about Race.” American Association of University Women, Northampton Community College, June 2017.
• “Strategies for Navigating Thanksgiving After the Election.” Lambertville Community Anti-Bias Workshop Series, Lambertville, NJ, November 2016.
• “What is Race and Systemic Racism? A Sourlands Perspective.” Train Station Series, Sourland Conservancy, Hopewell, NJ, November 2016.
• “Strengthening the ‘We’ in NORWESCAP: A Conversation about Race in the Workplace.” Facilitator. Annual Staff Training, Northwest NJ Community Action Program (NORWESCAP), RVCC, October 2016.
• Panelist. Peace Conference. Discussion with Keynote Speaker Tim Wise. Northampton Community College, Bethlehem, PA, October 2016.
• “Moving Beyond Colorblindness and White Guilt: Understanding Systemic Racism in the Age of #BlackLivesMatter.” Summer School of Addiction Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, July 2016.
• Keynote Address for “The Unfinished Business of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” 11th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, Saratoga Springs, NY, January 2016.
• “The Social Construction of Race, Systemic Racism, and Health Disparities.” Summer School of Addiction Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, July 2015.
• Keynote Address on Equality: “Myths, Inequality, and Action.” Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Induction Ceremony, RVCC, April 2015.
• Community Conversation about the “White History Month” sign in Flemington. Panelist. Hunterdon County Anti-Racism Coalition, Whitehouse Station, NJ, March 2015.
• “What is race? Why was it invented? Why is colorblindness a problem today?” Hunterdon County (NJ) Anti-Racism Coalition, January 2015.
• “What Is Race, and Why Was It Invented?” Workshop for the members of META Theatre Company, June 2014.
• “Rednecks, Asian Overachievers, and Illegals: How American Culture Divides and Conquers.” Spotlight on Scholarship, RVCC and V-Day Festival, META Theatre Company, Flemington, NJ, April 2014.
• “Buck v. Bell.” Visualizing Civil Rights: The Supreme Court & Reproductive Rights, RVCC, March 2014.
• “Building the Village to Sustain and Graduate Under-resourced Students.” Co-presenter. RVCC, March 2014.
• “Are Rednecks the Last Racists?” Paul Robeson Educators Seminar, RVCC, February 2014.
• “An Overview of the Democratic Party’s Platform on Economic Policies.” The 2012 Campaign: A Panel Discussion, Democratic and Republican Economic Policies, RVCC, October 2013.
• “The Protest Against Income Inequality.” The Occupy Movement: An Appraisal, RVCC, April 2012.
• “Divide and Conquer: How American Popular Culture, the Media and Politics Pit Races against Each Other.” Spotlight on Scholarship, RVCC, April 2011.
• “Confronting Injustice, Making a Difference.” RVCC Summer Institute on Social Justice, June 2008.
• “The Culture of Race and Racism in the US.” RVCC Summer Institute on Social Justice, June 2007.
• “Creating ‘White Trash’: The Family Studies of the Eugenics Movement.” Learning Happens at Your Library, Somerset County Library, NJ, March 2006.
• “‘The Others Are Coming’: Navigating Race in TV’s Lost.” Research on Race, Ethnicity, and Culture Lecture Series, University of Delaware, March 2006.
• “Remaking The Stepford Wives in the Age of The Swan: Beauty, Women, and Power.” Women’s History Month, Kean University, NJ, March 2006.
• “Dorothy Allison: Untrashing White Trash.” Research on Women Lecture Series, University of Delaware, October 2001.
• “Making Whiteness Visible.” Research on Race, Ethnicity, and Culture Lecture Series, University of Delaware, April 2001.

Grants and Honors

• RVCC Sabbatical, Fall 2022
• Public Scholar, NJ Council for the Humanities (2018-2020 and 2022)
• RVCC Sabbatical, Spring 2016
• Democracy for America Scholarship Winner, Netroots Nation, July 2014
• RVCC Faculty Research Grant, 2013-2014 (to design workshops based on book project)
• RVCC Faculty Research Grant, 2009-2010 (to continue book project)
• RVCC Social Justice Club
  • Club Advisor of the Year Award, 2009
  • Global Outreach Award, 2007
  • Community Outreach Award, 2006
  • Humanitarian Award, 2005

Selected Professional Service, RVCC

• Faculty Co-Lead, Access2Success, Spring 2023-
• Co-Chair, Middle States Committee on Standard 7: Governance, Leadership, and Administration, January 2020-May 2022
• Chair, College Forum, Fall 2017-May 2020
• Member, RVCC Social Action Collective, 2015-2018
• Co-facilitator, RVCC Beyond the Image Micro-Messaging Project, Spring 2014-Spring 2015
• English Department Chair, June 2011-June 2014
• Member, Reducing Barriers, Building Resources Advisory Council, Fall 2013-Spring 2014
• Member and presenter, Research Writing Group, Fall 2012-present
• Member, Defend Public Education, Faculty Federation, 2012-2013
• Faculty Co-Advisor, College Community Empowerment Project Student Alliance (CCEP-SA), Fall 2013-Spring 2014
• Chair, College Forum, Fall 2009-Spring 2012
• Participant, LGBTQ Ally training sessions (Fall 2010 and Spring 2011), and Ally
• Faculty Advisor, Social Justice Club, 2004-2010
• Committee member, Women and Gender Studies Steering Committee, 2008-2018
• Committee member, Living Wage Coalition, Spring 2006-Spring 2007
• Committee member, Faculty Federation Negotiation Team, Spring 2007-Fall 2008
• Faculty Commencement Speaker, December 2004
• Committee member, Voter Initiative Project, Summer 2004-November 2004

Community Service

• Hunterdon County (NJ) Anti-Racism Coalition
  • Steering Committee member, December 2014-present
• META Theatre Company (interactive social justice theatre)
  • RVCC Liaison and Community Partner, Fall 2013-present
  • Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women Theatre Program Volunteer, June 2015-January 2017
• NORWESCAP (Northwest New Jersey Community Action Partnership)
  • Board of Trustees Member, August 2015-August 2020
• Central Jersey Community Coalition
  • Steering Committee member, December 2016-January 2019
• Somerville, NJ Historical Advisory Board
  • Member, 2010
• Somerset County, NJ Democratic Organization
  • Campaign Team member, Somerset County Democratic Freeholder Campaign, 2009 election
  • Field Director, Somerset County Democratic Freeholder Campaign, 2008 election
  • Candidate, Hillsborough Township Committee, 2006 election
• DFA-NJ (Democracy for America)
  • Executive Board Officer, 2008-2010
• DFA-Somerset (Democracy for America)
  • Co-Organizer, 2007-2010
• Garden State Equality
  • Volunteer, 2008-2010

Completed Trainings

• Certificate of Completion: “Confronting White Nationalism in Schools Toolkit Trainer Workshop.” Western States Center, October 2022. (via Zoom)
• “Write to Change the World.” The Op-Ed Project, September 2022. (via Zoom)
• Institutional Review Board Training through Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative, Social-Behavior-Educational Researchers, Basic Course, September 2022. (online)
• Certificate in Inclusive Teaching for Equitable Learning. Association of College and University Educators, 2022 (online).
• Racial Justice Leadership Institute. Race Forward, Atlanta, GA, November 2016.
• White Privilege Conference Leadership Institute. White Privilege Conference, Philadelphia, April 2016.
• White Accountability and Organizing. Center for the Study of White American Culture, NY, December 2015.
• What White People Can Do About Racism, Fundamentals Parts I and II. Center for the Study of White American Culture, NY, February and April 2015.
• Undoing Racism. People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, October 2014.