As part of strong female role models week here at HCUPR, I’d like to introduce you to your next female role model: Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw. This lovely lady is responsible for some really impressive initiatives that advocate for civil rights and equality.
First off, she is extremely well-educated, having attained various degrees from reputable institutions: a J.D. from Harvard, L.L.M. from The University of Wisconsin, and a B.A. from Cornell University. Currently, she is a law professor at both UCLA and Columbia Law School, and her articles have appeared in renowned scholarly magazines such as the Harvard Law Review. In addition to that, she is the co-founder of the AAPF (African American Policy Forum), an “innovative think tank that connects academics, activists, and policy-makers to promote efforts to dismantle social inequality.”
Her work has laid the foundation for two fields of study that are now known as Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality, a term she coined. She is a strong proponent of gender-inclusivity, specifically pertaining racial justice interventions, which is why she had pioneered various initiatives: Why We Can’t Wait Campaign and co-authored Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced and Underprotected, and Say Her Name: Resisting Police Brutality Against Black Women.
Crenshaw has worked arduously on issues regarding violence against women, structural racial inequality, and affirmative action. Honestly, Kimberlé Crenshaw is an extraordinary woman, and I don’t mean that lightly. If you watch any of her interviews, you will be blown away by her charisma, eloquence, and intellectuality.
If you’re interested in learning more about these wonderful initiatives or donating, make sure to check out this page.