Over the years, well-meaning scholars have warned me about the dangers of being distracted by community/public engagement. Therefore, I’ve always been low-key about my “non-academic” activities (podcasting, blogging, etc). #PhDChat #AcademicTwitter 1/

I didn’t want to give anyone the impression that I was not serious about my scholarship. Therefore, I've generally kept those worlds separate. 2/

However, after participating in a @ResearchTalkInc workshop hosted by @SociologistRay on public scholarship, I realized how important it is for me to lean into my identity as a #firstgendoc who is equally committed to producing scholarship AND using that knowledge for good. 3/

The workshop pushed me to refine my mission around bridging the gap between academia and the people we SHOULD serve. It also renewed my commitment to democratizing knowledge and using academic research to improve the lives of those most impacted by structural inequality. 4/

My latest effort to fulfill my mission is a co-edited volume w/ @TConnorBhD. The Dark Side of Reform: Exploring the Promises and Pitfalls of Contemporary Public Policy for Racial Equity (tentative) is currently under contract w/Lexington Books, an imprint of @RLPGBooks. #SocAF 5/

This book extends the work we do on @BhDpodcast. Our ultimate goal is to create a book that is accessible to everyday people who want to know more about the potential implications of recently proposed policy solutions for their lives and for racial equity. 6/

We see this book as an opportunity for experts to be in conversation with stakeholders outside of academe. If you’re interested in submitting an abstract, check out our call at the following link: https://www.blackandhighlydangerous.com/call-for-chapters 7/7