Artist · Scholar · Educator · Activist
Rolanda JW Spencer
MFA · EdD
Forging transformative work at the intersection of Black feminist aesthetics, diasporic spirituality, and social justice pedagogy.
Contact Dr. Spencer
At a Glance
A Scholar-Artist Rooted in Liberation
Dr. Rolanda JW Spencer is a multidisciplinary artist, scholar, and educator whose practice is grounded in the lived experiences of Black women and African diasporic communities. Holding an MFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology (2025) and an EdD from Loyola University Chicago (2011), she brings rare depth across studio fine arts, curriculum and instruction, journalism, and social science.
Currently serving as Visiting Assistant Professor of Visual Arts at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Dr. Spencer's creative and scholarly output spans solo and group exhibitions, peer-reviewed research, international residencies, and decades of community-engaged program development. Her work is as rigorous as it is revelatory — speaking simultaneously to academic peers, curators, and the communities she champions.
4
Degrees Earned
MFA, EdD, MEd, BA across fine arts, education, and journalism
20+
Years Teaching
University-level instruction across five institutions
10+
Exhibitions
Solo, group, and traveling exhibitions across the U.S. and beyond
6
Residencies
International artistic residencies across four countries
Education
Academic Credentials
MFA, Fine Arts Studio — Spring 2025
Rochester Institute of Technology, College of Art and Design
Thesis: Critical Black Expressionism: A Womanist Manifesto
Committee Chair: Prof. Luvon Sheppard
EdD, Curriculum & Instruction — Spring 2011
Loyola University Chicago, School of Education
Dissertation: Post-Correctional Education Interventions: A Study of Empowerment Education Curriculum for Formerly Incarcerated African American Males
Committee Chair: Dr. Ruanda Garth-McCullough
MEd, Teaching Curriculum — Spring 2007
California State University Dominguez Hills
Focused on culturally responsive pedagogical frameworks and curriculum design for diverse urban student populations.
BA, Journalism — Spring 2005
Columbia College Chicago
Foundational training in narrative, media, and public communication — disciplines that continue to inform Dr. Spencer's editorial and curatorial voice.
Studio Practice
Selected Art Exhibitions
Dr. Spencer's exhibition record reflects a body of work that is both visually commanding and conceptually rigorous. From intimate solo presentations to sweeping traveling exhibitions, her art moves across geographies and institutions, insisting on the presence and power of Black cultural memory.
1
2026
Black Tea Rhapsody: An Homage to African American Tea Culture — Archival Exhibition · AUC Woodruff Library Archives, Atlanta, GA.
A culminating archival presentation honoring the cultural and social significance of tea within African American communities, now preserved in institutional collections.
2
2026
Divine: Hoodoo Conjure in the Lowcountry — Group Exhibition · DreamMakers Summit, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA.
A collaborative exhibition exploring Hoodoo spiritual traditions rooted in the Lowcountry South, presented in conversation with fellow artists at a landmark summit.
3
2025
Pedagogy of the Distressed — Solo Exhibition, Mixed Media · Joy Gallery, Rochester, NY.
A powerful meditation on educational trauma and resilience, translating scholarly research into visceral visual experience through mixed media installation.
4
2025
Iyami Aje: Mothers + Witches — Mixed Media · RIT City Arts Space, Rochester, NY.
An homage to Yoruba feminine spiritual power — the Iyami Aje — exploring motherhood, ancestral wisdom, and reclaimed identity through sculpture and mixed media.
5
2023–2025
Black Tea Rhapsody (Traveling Exhibition) — Traveling Exhibition · Xavier University (New Orleans, LA) · Philadelphia Free Library · The Yards Gallery (Rochester, NY).
A landmark traveling exhibition exploring tea culture as a lens for Black history, community, and resilience across three major institutional venues.
6
2023
Black Tea Rhapsody: Futuristic Flow — Mixed Media · The Yards Gallery, Rochester, NY.
An Afrofuturist extension of the Black Tea Rhapsody series, projecting cultural memory into visionary futures through dynamic mixed media work.
7
2023
Black Tea Rhapsody (Solo Exhibition) — Solo Exhibition · Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA.
The inaugural solo presentation of this landmark project, rooting the work in New Orleans — a city whose culture and history deeply inform the series.
Permanent Collections
Institutional Acquisition
2025 Purchase Prize
Wallace Library Special Collections
Rochester Institute of Technology
SweetPea
Acquired by the Wallace Library Special Collections at RIT as part of its prestigious Purchase Prize Collection — a formal recognition of artistic excellence and enduring cultural value. This acquisition marks a significant milestone in Dr. Spencer's studio career, placing her work within a permanent institutional record.
Academic Appointments
Teaching & Academic Positions
Dr. Spencer's pedagogical career spans nearly two decades and five institutions across the United States, Belize, and online platforms. Her courses bridge disciplines — from visual arts and African American studies to criminology and philosophy — reflecting an educator who refuses the boundaries of the conventional syllabus.
Morehouse College
Visiting Assistant Professor, Visual Arts · 2025–Present
Atlanta, GA · HART 101: Contemporary Art of the Diaspora · HART 131: Sculpture I
Xavier University of Louisiana
Lecturer, African American & Diasporic Studies · 2019–Present
Online/Part-Time · Interdisciplinary courses spanning AADS, Sociology, Creolization, and Art of the Diaspora
University of Belize
Assistant Professor, Sociology · 2015–2016
Belize City · Research Methods, Sociology, Philosophy and Ethics · Committee Chair for First Criminal Justice BA Program
Northeastern Illinois University
Lecturer, Justice Studies · 2011–2015, 2016–2019
Chicago, IL · Justice Studies curriculum including Race & Ethnic Relations, Prisoner Reentry, and Juvenile Justice Systems
Loyola University Chicago
Adjunct Instructor, Curriculum & Instruction · 2008–2009
Chicago, IL · Educational Psychology and Classroom Assessment
Courses Taught
Course Portfolio
Visual Arts & Cultural Studies
  • HART 101: Contemporary Art of the Diaspora
  • HART 131: Sculpture I
  • XCOR 3030: Art of the Diaspora
  • XCOR 1012: Creolization and the New Orleans Experience
  • AADS 2000: Introduction to African American History and Culture
  • AADS 2010: African American Social Science
Social Sciences & Justice
  • JUST 307: Prisoner Reentry Systems
  • JUST 312: Theories of Criminal Behavior
  • JUST 326: Juvenile Justice Systems
  • JUST 332: Race and Ethnic Relations
  • JUST 212: Justice and Inequality
Research & Graduate Studies
  • RSCH 4015: Advanced Research Methods for the Social Sciences
  • CIEP 229: Educational Psychology
  • CIEP 364: Classroom Assessment
  • SOC 3020: Global Social Change
Philosophy, Ethics & Global Studies
  • SOCL 2000: Philosophy and Ethics
  • SOC 1010: Introduction to Sociology
  • JUST 101: Introduction to Justice Studies
  • JUST 202: Introduction to Criminal Justice
Scholarly Research
Research Agenda
Dr. Spencer's research operates at the intersection of cultural anthropology, Africana studies, visual art, and social justice. Her projects are defined by sustained ethnographic engagement, community partnership, and a commitment to centering marginalized voices in academic discourse.
Divination Systems in African Spiritual Systems Throughout the Diaspora
2024–Present · Exploring the role of Ifa, Hoodoo, and Santeria in African diasporic spiritual practices. Ethnographic fieldwork spans Cuba, Bahia (Brazil), and Lagos (Nigeria), integrating art-making, documentary film, and community engagement into a multidisciplinary scholarly project.
African American Tea Culture
2020–2024 · A deep investigation into the historical and cultural significance of tea in African American communities — encompassing material culture, social ritual, and culinary tradition. This research produced the landmark Black Tea Rhapsody project and its traveling exhibitions across Xavier University, the Philadelphia Free Library, and The Yards Gallery.
Prisoner Reentry Systems
2017–2019 · Examined the efficacy of post-incarceration educational programs and their transformative impact on African American males reintegrating into society. Published in Reexamining Reentry: Prisoner Reentry Systems in the United States (Lexington Academic Publishing).
Caribbean National Gender-Based Violence Plan
2012–2014 · Lead researcher for an evaluation of Belize's National Gender-Based Violence Plan of Action — identifying systemic gaps and providing policy recommendations to strengthen protections for vulnerable populations.
Revolutionary Education: Afro-Venezuelans
2010–2012 · Led a research delegation to Venezuela examining the criminalization of Afro-descendants, exploring intersections of race, incarceration, and social justice within Latin American political contexts.
Alternative Education for Formerly Incarcerated Adults
2006–2007 · Research on educational needs and outcomes for formerly incarcerated adults in Los Angeles, focusing on culturally relevant interventions that honor both individual dignity and community uplift.
Program Evaluation Research
Applied Research & Evaluation
Alternative Education Research Institute
2017–2019 · In Partnership with NEIU & Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, Chicago, IL
As Lead Researcher and Evaluator, Dr. Spencer directed collaborative initiatives focused on juvenile detention and reentry support systems. Her evaluation assessed program implementation, participant engagement, and educational outcomes, contributing substantively to strategies that strengthen youth reintegration pathways.
Donda's House
2015–2016 · Chicago, IL
As Lead Evaluator for this youth arts and education program, Dr. Spencer conducted a rigorous process evaluation examining curriculum delivery and participant engagement. She developed an evaluation framework and delivered actionable recommendations that strengthened organizational capacity and program effectiveness for one of Chicago's most visible youth arts organizations.
Scholarly Discourse
Peer-Reviewed Conference Presentations
From international conferences on nineteenth-century studies to urban affairs associations and peace and social justice gatherings, Dr. Spencer's conference record demonstrates consistent scholarly engagement with some of the most pressing questions at the intersection of race, education, culture, and justice.
Spencer, R. (2026)
Critical Black Expressionism: A Womanist Framework for Understanding Gender, Power, and Black Expressive Life. Paper Presentation, Association for Black Sociologists (ABS) Annual Conference, New York, NY, August 6–8, 2026. (Accepted)
Spencer, R. (2026)
Paper Presentation, 2026 AHM Conference: "Unsettling Heritage and Memory Futures: Decolonial Trajectories Between Crisis and Possibility," University of Amsterdam (UvA), Amsterdam, Netherlands, June 17–19, 2026. (Accepted)
Spencer, R. (2026)
Critical Black Expressionism: A Womanist Methodology of Revolution, Revelation, and Reconciliation. Paper Presentation, International Nineteenth Century Studies Association Biennial Conference, Washington, DC.
West, R., & Shivers, K. (2013)
Black Power and Empowerment: A Critical Look at the Reconceptualization of Black Power. Peace and Social Justice Association Conference, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
West, R. (2011)
Empowerment Education as a Reentry Intervention. Paper Presentation, Peace and Social Justice Association & Gandhi-King Conference, Memphis, TN.
West, R. (2011)
Post-Correctional Education Interventions: Empowerment Education Curriculum for Formerly Incarcerated African American Males. Urban Affairs Association Conference, New Orleans, LA.
West, R. (2010)
A Social Justice Approach to Post-Incarceration Education Interventions – Pilot Study. Urban Affairs Association Conference, Honolulu, HI.
Garth-McCullough, R., Farmer-Hinton, R., & West, R. (2009)
Assessing Preparation and Perseverance: Urban Charter School Alumni Post-Secondary Experiences. American Evaluation Association Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL.
West, R. (2006)
People of Color in the Newsroom. Paper Presentation and Panelist, National Association of Black Journalists Annual Meeting, Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Evanston, IL.
Public Scholarship
Invited Lectures, Panels & Media
Dr. Spencer's public scholarship extends well beyond the academy. Invited to keynote conferences, moderate panels, and speak on national radio, she brings scholarly rigor into accessible public dialogue — on mass incarceration, youth reentry, gang intervention, and the education of communities of color.
Selected Invited Engagements
Lectures, Panels & Media Appearances
2019 — New York University
Being Black in America: Mass Incarceration and the Criminal Justice System. Panelist, NYU Lecture Series, New York, NY.
2018 — WVON 1690 AM, Chicago
Youth Incarceration and the Criminal Justice System. Radio Interview. National platform reaching communities directly affected by juvenile justice policy.
2017 — I Am Able Conference, Chicago
Missed Education in Communities of Color. Keynote Address — a centerpiece presentation calling for systemic educational equity and culturally responsive policy.
2017 — WVON 1690 AM, Chicago
Mass Incarceration, Reentry, and the Education System. Radio Interview. Translating academic research into public policy advocacy through media.
2016 — University of Belize
Understanding Gangs in America and Belize. University Lecture, Belize City — bridging comparative international criminology with local policy challenges.
2015 — Love Belize TV, Belize City
Understanding Gangs in America and Belize. Television Interview with M. Smith-Bardalez — expanding academic discourse into national broadcast media.
2013 — Northeastern Illinois University
African American Prisoner Identity and Islam. Moderator/Panelist, Annual Equity in Action Conference, Chicago, IL.
2012 — Tufts University, Boston
Teaching for a Revolution: Venezuelan Social Reform and Its Impact on Afro-Venezuelans. Moderator/Panelist, Peace and Social Justice Association Conference.
2011 — Chicago Youth Centers Teen Summit
Youth Reentry and Education. Guest Speaker, Dowagiac, MI — direct community engagement with youth navigating reentry systems.
Artistic Development
Residencies & Fellowships
Uberbau House — São Paulo, Brazil (2026)
An immersive artistic residency focused on African Diasporic spiritual practices, generating new bodies of work through direct engagement with Brazil's rich Afro-Brazilian cultural heritage.
Unpack Studios — Havana, Cuba (2024)
Residency dedicated to filming a documentary on African Diasporic spiritual practices — ethnographic art-making at its most immersive, capturing living traditions in their cultural context.
Joy Gallery & Sheppard Studios — Rochester, NY (2024)
Studio-based residency under the mentorship of Prof. Luvon Sheppard, producing new works in watercolor and sculpture that deepened technical mastery and conceptual range.
Irondequoit School District — Sculpture Residency (2025)
An artist-in-residency focused on public sculpture, collaborating with high school seniors on a community-facing public art project that merges mentorship with civic engagement.
Recognition
Awards, Fellowships & Grants
Recent Honors (2025–2026)
  • Public Social Sciences and Humanities Mini-grant Award (2026)
  • Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership Innovation Lab Fellow (2025)
  • College Art Association Member (2026–Present)
  • Scholarship Reviewer, Morehouse College (2026–Present)
Competitive Grants Awarded
Artistic Mentorship
Apprenticeship with Prof. Luvon Sheppard
An Elder/Apprentice Model of Artistic Formation
Since 2023, Dr. Spencer has engaged in a sustained apprenticeship with Professor Luvon Sheppard in Rochester, NY — a formal commitment to artistic development within the tradition of the elder/apprentice model. This relationship, which also anchored her MFA thesis committee, has been central to her growth as a visual artist.
The apprenticeship focuses on three interconnected pillars: the development of a coherent artistic vision, the deepening of technical skill across media, and the cultivation of curatorial practice. For Dr. Spencer, this mentorship represents not only professional formation but a philosophical commitment to intergenerational knowledge transfer — the same values that animate her teaching and community work.
Leadership & Media
Professional & Leadership Experience
Interim Managing Editor
Ark Republic · New Orleans, LA · January 2020–Present
Leads editorial operations for a national media platform focused on cultural and social issues. Oversees content production from development through publication, manages editorial staff, and coordinates cross-functional teams including creative, marketing, and sales.
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Alternative Education Research Institute · Los Angeles & Chicago · 2006–2015
Founded and led a nonprofit consulting firm focused on alternative education, reentry, and social justice. Directed fund development, multi-site operations, staff training, and program evaluation across community-based organizations and school districts in multiple cities.
Career Coach / Career Development Manager
Youth Service Project, Inc. / Chicago Public Schools · 2002–2005
Managed a career development team serving youth ages 14–24. Designed and taught workforce development curricula, provided individualized career counseling, and secured funding through competitive proposal writing.
Curriculum Design
Program Development & Curriculum Initiatives
Throughout her career, Dr. Spencer has designed and implemented innovative educational programs for some of the most underserved communities in America — from at-risk youth in Chicago to formerly incarcerated adults in Los Angeles, to students navigating the complexities of school systems in Belize. Her curriculum work is always grounded in liberation pedagogy and culturally responsive design.
CeaseFire (Southwest), Chicago, IL — 2012
Designed and implemented a six-week behavior modification curriculum — the Empowerment Program for At-Risk Girls — supporting female youth exhibiting violent behaviors through strength-based, culturally responsive intervention.
Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), Chicago, IL — 2011
Designed the Green Reentry Program (focused on green building technology) and the Muslim-Run Initiative (addressing food access in low-income communities) — two innovative models connecting economic opportunity to community healing.
Federal Department of Probation, Inglewood, CA — 2007
Designed job readiness and reentry curriculum for formerly incarcerated individuals on federal probation — translating empowerment education theory into practical, dignifying programming for people rebuilding their lives.
LA Unified School District / LA's BEST, Los Angeles — 2007–2008
Developed staff training and assessment modules covering child safety protocols, community communication, incident reporting, and attendance systems — building operational capacity across after-school program sites.
Scholarly Praxis
Critical Black Expressionism: A Womanist Framework
At the Intersection of Art, Theory, and Liberation
The animating force behind Dr. Spencer's entire body of work — artistic, scholarly, and pedagogical — is a framework she terms Critical Black Expressionism. Articulated in her MFA thesis, Critical Black Expressionism: A Womanist Manifesto, this methodology synthesizes Black feminist theory, Womanist epistemology, and expressive visual practice into an integrated approach to knowledge-making and cultural production.
This framework insists that Black women's art is not supplementary to the canon but constitutive of it — that the spiritual, the ancestral, the domestic, and the political are not separate domains but a unified field of inquiry. From the Black Tea Rhapsody series to Iyami Aje and her forthcoming diasporic research in São Paulo, every project reflects this womanist praxis.

Dr. Spencer's 2026 paper, Critical Black Expressionism: A Womanist Methodology of Revolution, Revelation, and Reconciliation, was accepted for presentation at the International Nineteenth Century Studies Association Biennial Conference, Washington, DC — marking a major milestone in the scholarly formalization of this framework.
Community Engagement
Arts Initiatives & Community Service
AfroHarvest Community Food Justice Initiative
New Orleans, LA · 2021
A community-based initiative at the intersection of African American food culture, food sovereignty, and community health — directly linked to Dr. Spencer's research on African American material culture and social ritual.
Break Bread and Build
Community Arts Weekend Celebration · Chicago, IL · 2018
A community arts celebration weaving together creative expression, social healing, and neighborhood solidarity — reflecting Dr. Spencer's conviction that art is infrastructure for community life.
Reexamining Reentry: A Panel Discussion
Northeastern Illinois University · Chicago, IL · 2016
Founder and organizer of a public forum on prison reentry systems, bringing together scholars, practitioners, and community members to examine the structural barriers facing formerly incarcerated individuals.
Professional Service & Memberships
Service to the Field
Professional Service
Scholarship Reviewer — Morehouse College (2026–Present)
Evaluating scholarship applications for one of the nation's most distinguished HBCUs.
Board Member — Fellowship of Reconciliation (2012–2015)
Governance service for one of the oldest peace and social justice organizations in the United States.
General Board Member — The Renaissance Collaborative (2015–2019)
Strategic leadership for a community-focused collaborative advancing arts and education initiatives.
Professional Memberships
  • College Art Association — 2026–Present
  • Urban Affairs Association — 2014–2016
  • Human Rights Watch — 2010–2014
  • NAACP, Loyola University Chicago Chapter — 2008–2011

Dr. Spencer's membership in the College Art Association — the leading professional organization for visual arts scholars and practitioners — reflects her full commitment to the field of studio fine arts alongside her long-standing social science affiliations.
Contact & Collaboration
Connect with Dr. Spencer
Dr. Rolanda JW Spencer welcomes inquiries from fellow scholars, curators, gallery directors, grant panels, and collaborators whose work intersects with African diasporic art, social justice education, and Black feminist theory. She is based in Atlanta, Georgia, and is currently serving at Morehouse College.
🎓 Academic Email
✉️ Studio Email