(Overview): My teaching interests include Black feminist theories, popular culture, struggles for Black liberation, and humor studies. Having spent my entire academic career as an underrepresented minority at prominent educational institutions, the experiences on college and university campuses have fundamentally influenced my pedagogy and the scholarship I produce. I empathize with students who come to college under-prepared for rigorous academic engagement and find meaning in this career through mentoring them inside and outside of the classroom. Twenty-three years ago, my first college essay prompted the professor to evaluate my writing as unfit for grading and a recommendation that I visit the writing center to understand what constitutes college-level thinking and writing. My academic success and intellectual growth after this humbling experience hinged on the guidance of professors who were committed to helping me cultivate reading and writing skills in which I not only “got it right,” but I also learned to analyze concepts and ideas in a way that led to questions as often as answers.