Africana Studies

EWU McNair Scholar Christina Hudson Receives the Frances B. Huston Medallion Award

05/19/2022 by Liina Koivula Leave a Comment

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Christina Hudson! Christina has been selected to receive a 2022 Frances B. Huston Medallion Award.

Recipients of the Frances B. Huston medallion award must have established themselves as exceptionally capable individuals in both academic and extracurricular activities. The faculty and the administration of Eastern Washington University acknowledge their great pride in the accomplishments of these students during their college experience and expect even greater accomplishments in the years that lie ahead. The Frances B. Huston Medallion is presented to just 20 graduating students per year.

Christina is a first-generation university student double majoring in English studies and Africana studies, and minoring in religious studies. She currently holds a 3.98 GPA. Christina completed an EWU McNair Summer Research Internship in 2021 under the mentorship of Associate Professor Okera Nsombi titled The Characterization of African Religions. She recently presented this research at the National Association of African American Studies & Affiliates 2022 Virtual Conference, held online. Christina serves as the ASEWU Diversity Representative. Based on her work in this role, her outstanding academic record, and her regular contributions to organizations such as BlackPast.org, Christina was invited to participate in building a curriculum for next year’s required staff trainings in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion under Senate Bill 5227.

Christina will begin her PhD studies in Africology and African American Studies at Temple University next fall. Read about all of Christina’s accomplishments as a McNair Scholar here.

EWU McNair Scholar Christina Hudson Accepted to Temple University PhD Program

05/10/2022 by Liina Koivula Leave a Comment

If you’ve been following along, you may have noticed that in our last two posts about EWU McNair Scholar Christina Hudson, we mentioned that she will begin her PhD studies in Africology and African American Studies at Temple University next fall. We’d like to take this opportunity to officially offer her our congratulations! The Department of Africology and African American Studies at Temple University attracts and produces world-class scholars in this discipline, and has more African American students than any other university in the Northeast. The program’s focus is transgenerational, transcontinental and interdisciplinary.

Christina is a first-generation student double majoring in English studies and Africana studies, and minoring in religious studies. Christina completed an EWU McNair Summer Research Internship in 2021 under the mentorship of Associate Professor Okera Nsombi titled The Characterization of African Religions. Christina serves as the ASEWU Diversity Representative and recently presented her work at the National Association of African American Studies & Affiliates 2022 Conference, and is a regular contributor to BlackPast.org.

The EWU McNair staff are thrilled for Christina and we know she will develop high quality, impactful research in her PhD program.

EWU McNair Scholar Christina Hudson Presents at National Association of African American Studies & Affiliates 2022 Conference

04/28/2022 by Liina Koivula Leave a Comment

In February, EWU McNair scholar Christina Hudson presented at the National Association of African American Studies & Affiliates 2022 Virtual Conference, held online. She presented her 2021 Summer Research Internship project The Characterization of African Religion. For this project, Christina was mentored by Dr. Okera Nsombi. Christina is double majoring in English studies and Africana studies, and minoring in religious studies. She also serves as the ASEWU Diversity Representative.

When asked about the most valuable aspects of attending and presenting at this conference, Christina said she had the opportunity to make some awesome connections.

It was so great to meet and connect with so many amazing scholars and professors from different universities.

Christina would like to let other McNair scholars know that presenting at conferences is a great opportunity to talk about your research and to make important connections. While the idea of presenting at a conference may seem intimidating, “it can be a really fun experience filled with amazing scholars who are just as excited to hear about your research as you are to talk about it.”

Christina will begin her PhD studies in Africology and African American studies at Temple University next fall.

EWU McNair Scholar Christina Hudson: ASEWU Diversity Representative

04/07/2022 by Liina Koivula Leave a Comment

EWU McNair Scholar Christina Hudson is serving as the Associated Students of EWU Diversity Outreach Representative for the 2021-2022 academic year. In this position, Christina helps to create a culture of inclusivity and community at EWU. Based on her work in this role, her outstanding academic record, and her regular contributions to organizations such as BlackPast.org, Christina was asked to participate in building a curriculum for next year’s required staff trainings in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Senate Bill 5227 aims to eliminate structural racism and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion by conducting training sessions and evaluations in Washington’s 40 public colleges and universities, beginning in the 2022-2023 school year.

In addition to this important work, Christina was invited to be a featured speaker at the EWU Diversity and Inclusion Week Event Speed Relating. At this event, fueled by free Thomas Hammer coffee, students, faculty, and staff can connect and have open conversations with a variety of individuals representing diverse identities, professions, and/or interests. Christina introduces herself in this statement from the Speed Relating Speakers Directory:

I am an AfroMexicana first-generation student and McNair scholar, double majoring in English studies and Africana studies, and minoring in religious studies. My academic journey has been very nontraditional. I grew up between Barrio Logan in San Diego, CA, and west side Long Beach, CA. I had my first job at fourteen years old and, because I had to live on my own and work support myself from fifteen years old, I dropped out of high school at the beginning of ninth grade. I began college many years later with neither a high school diploma nor a GED. After graduating with two bachelor’s degrees this spring, I will begin my PhD studies in Africology and African American studies at Temple University.

Christina completed her McNair Summer Research Internship project, The Characterization of African Religions, mentored by Dr. Okera Nsombi.

To hear more about Christina’s experiences in higher education, Africana studies, and the McNair Scholars Program, connect with her over free coffee at the Speed Relating event on Wednesday, April 20, 11am to 1pm, in the JFK Library Lobby.

EWU McNair Scholar Kianna Baker Accepted to Masters Program at Columbia University

02/01/2022 by Liina Koivula Leave a Comment

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Kianna (Key) Baker! Key has been accepted by the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in the Department of Sociomedical Sciences to earn her Master of Public Health with a certificate in Child, Youth, and Family Health. She will receive funding as a Public Health Special Programs Scholar. In 2019, Key participated in the Summer Public Health Scholar Program (SPHSP) at Columbia University Medical Center. Under the mentorship of Dr. Okera Nsombi and Dr. Sarah Mount, Key presented her research poster for A Study of Food Insecurity for Eastern Washington State Colleges at the 6^th Annual Black Doctoral Network Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2018.

Key graduated from Eastern Washington University in 2020 with a degree in the Science of Public Health and a minor in African Studies. Her career goals are to work in an urban city where she can help the disadvantaged population while teaching at a local university.

The EWU McNair staff are excited for Key and we know she will make an impact in her program and in the communities she serves. Click here to read more about Key and her research.

EWU McNair Scholar Christina Hudson Completes Summer Research Internship

11/23/2021 by Liina Koivula Leave a Comment

EWU McNair Scholar Christina Hudson worked with Dr. Okera Nsombi on her Summer Research Internship project The Characterization of African Religions. Christina’s aim was to investigate how Western academia’s proximity to Eurocentric hegemonies influences religious studies. Her literature review went on to survey the work of scholars who have engaged in the examination of Eurocentrism as it pertains to the study of African religions.

Christina analyzed 129 articles taken from 10 of the top 20 peer reviewed religious studies journals from 2020. She first inspected the articles for instances of the terms Africa, African, African-American, Hoodoo, and Conjure. She found that Indigenous African and African diaspora religious traditions, such as Hoodoo and Conjure, were not mentioned in any of the 129 articles.

Before beginning the study, Christina proposed:

Observing these gaps [in inclusion of Indigenous African and African diaspora religious traditions in peer reviewed religious studies journals] would highlight the ways in which the current survey of world religions within higher education can be expanded. Doing so may allow for a more accurate depiction of the contributions of African cultures to world religions. This will also help to reshape education in such a way that better tells the story of human development, cultural exchange, and interconnectedness.

Christina is interested in decolonizing religious studies with a focus on ancient African religious texts, with the intention of shifting the way we view the contributions of people of color to the development of civilization throughout history.

Christina will be presenting at the 43rd Annual Southwest Popular/American Culture Association Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in February 2022. She is a regular contributor to BlackPast.org and the recipient of the Robert and Joan Morgan Nelson Scholarship, which benefits a History or Humanities Major at EWU. Christina is currently applying to graduate programs at several schools. We have no doubts that Christina will succeed in graduate school and generate essential academic work that expands the field of religious studies.