The Department of Women’s and Gender Studies welcomed Benedict College’s Dr. Shaneen
Dials-Corujo this past month for our annual Adrenée Glover Freeman Lecture, as well
as hosting her as a guest on our podcast, Women’s and Gender Studies: Unboxed. Dr. Dials-Corujo has served as the Director of the Honors Program at Benedict College
for the past two years, is an Associate Professor of Psychology in the School of Education,
Health, and Human Services at Benedict College and a Licensed Professional Counselor
for the state of South Carolina. Dr. Dials-Corujo is also a combat veteran of Operation
Enduring Freedom (OEF). As a practitioner, Dr. Corujo spent over a decade providing
case management to diverse high-risk populations, clinical treatment to individuals
seeking to recover from substance use and/or dependence, victim advocacy services
to survivors of domestic violence/intimate partner violence and/or sexual assault,
psychoeducational training (i.e. anger management, stress management, etc.) and many
other services within the fields of psychology and human services.
For the 2024 Freeman Lecture, Dr. Dials-Corujo gave a lecture titled “Strength of
a Woman: An Exploration of the Intersections of Black Womanhood". Dr. Dials-Corujo
identified the intersectional identities of black womanhood and explored the disparities
and struggles many Black women face. Dr. Dials-Corujo also discussed the term “misogynoir”,
a word coined to describe the sexism faced by black women. She examined how misogynoir
can be seen on multiple levels throughout society, including media representation,
healthcare, workplace discrimination, interpersonal relationships, movements for social
change, and more. As her lecture unfolded, she described the disparities black women
face daily and empathized with lecture attendees who participated by sharing personal
anecdotes regarding their own similar struggles. Dr. Dials-Corujo ended her lecture
on a positive note, highlighting positive portrayals of Black women in media that
encourage social change.
Undergraduate Assistant Sierra Perry and Event Planner & Office Manager Tristan Johnson
had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Dials-Corujo on our student-run podcast, Women’s and Gender Studies: Unboxed. Sierra and Tristan had the opportunity to discuss Dr. Dials-Corujo’s studies, her
advocacy work, her career, and the impact she has left on her communities.
Dr. Dials-Corujo ended her lecture with a quote from Audre Lorde, emphasizing the
importance of self-care as an act of social responsibility, leaving listeners with
a note of validity, peace, and hope for self-preservation.
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” - Audre Lorde
Recommended Reads from Dr. Shaneen Dials-Corujo:
Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women’s Digital Resistance by Moya Bailey
When Moya Bailey first coined the term misogynoir, she defined it as the ways anti-Black
and misogynistic representation shape broader ideas about Black women, particularly
in visual culture and digital spaces. She had no idea that the term would go viral,
touching a cultural nerve and quickly entering into the lexicon. Misogynoir now has
its own Wikipedia page and hashtag, and has been featured on Comedy Central's The
Daily Show and CNN's Cuomo Prime Time. In Misogynoir Transformed, Bailey delves into
her groundbreaking concept, highlighting Black women's digital resistance to anti-Black
misogyny on YouTube, Facebook, Tumblr, and other platforms.At a time when Black women
are depicted as more ugly, deficient, hypersexual, and unhealthy than their non-Black
counterparts, Bailey explores how Black women have bravely used social-media platforms
to confront misogynoir in a number of courageous-and, most importantly, effective-ways.
Focusing on queer and trans Black women, she shows us the importance of carving out
digital spaces, where communities are built around queer Black webshows and hashtags
like #GirlsLikeUs.Bailey shows how Black women actively reimagine the world by engaging
in powerful forms of digital resistance at a time when anti-Black misogyny is thriving
on social media. A groundbreaking work, Misogynoir Transformed highlights Black women's
remarkable efforts to disrupt mainstream narratives, subvert negative stereotypes,
and reclaim their lives.
Hood Feminism: Notes From the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall
Today's feminist movement has a glaring blind spot, and paradoxically, it is women.
Mainstream feminists rarely talk about meeting basic needs as a feminist issue, argues
Mikki Kendall, but food insecurity, access to quality education, safe neighborhoods,
a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues. All too often, however, the
focus is not on basic survival for the many, but on increasing privilege for the few.
That feminists refuse to prioritize these issues has only exacerbated the age-old
problem of both internecine discord and women who rebuff at carrying the title. Moreover,
prominent white feminists broadly suffer from their own myopia with regard to how
things like race, class, sexual orientation, and ability intersect with gender. How
can we stand in solidarity as a movement, Kendall asks, when there is the distinct
likelihood that some women are oppressing others?
Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey
Far too many of us have claimed productivity as the cornerstone of success. Brainwashed
by capitalism, we subject our bodies and minds to work at an unrealistic, damaging,
and machine‑level pace of work—feeding into the same engine that enslaved millions
into brutal labor for its virtuous benefit. Our worth does not reside in how much
we produce, especially for a system that exploits and dehumanizes us. Rest, in its
simplest form, becomes an act of resistance and a reclaiming of power because it disrupts
and pushes back against capitalism and white supremacy.From the founder and creator
of The Nap Ministry, Rest Is Resistance is a battle cry, a guidebook, a map for a
movement, and a field guide for the weary and hopeful. It is rooted in spiritual energy
and centered in Black liberation, womanism, somatics, and Afrofuturism. With captivating
storytelling and practical advice, all delivered in Hersey's lyrical voice and informed
by her deep experience in theology, activism, and performance art, Rest Is Resistance is
a call to action and manifesto for those who are sleep deprived, searching for justice,
and longing to be liberated from the oppressive grip of Grind Culture.