The Impact of Africana Studies: Stories Beyond the Classroom

​How one student’s reflection reminded me that what we teach doesn’t end at the final exam—it echoes into movements, media, and memory.

Every now and then, a message stops you in your tracks.
Recently, I received a note from a former student who took my African Masculinity course. What she shared wasn’t just gratitude—it was proof. Proof that the space we created together for critical thinking, vulnerability, and cultural memory stayed with her long after the semester ended.
She now writes for The Battalion and Her Campus. And in her own words, our classroom dialogue shaped the lens through which she sees the world.
That’s Africana Studies in action.
It’s not just theory. It’s transformation.

From the Classroom to the Front Page

What started as an interview about my work to preserve the Calvert Colored High School site became something more. Her piece, published in Her Campus, didn’t just summarize my words—it reflected on our shared intellectual journey. That’s what Africana Studies makes possible: a space where students are empowered to ask deeper questions, challenge dominant narratives, and carry those insights into their creative and professional lives.
For educators, this is the goal. Not just a grade. Not just attendance. But activation.

What It Means for the Work Ahead

As a Black woman teaching in this field, I know the weight and responsibility of this work. But I also know the joy. When students go on to write, organize, document, and lead, they’re extending the life of the lessons.
Their pens become archival tools. Their voices become oral history. Their questions become a curriculum for the future.

​Because the truth is this: Education doesn’t end in the classroom. It grows. It travels. And if we do it right—it transforms everything it touches.