WASHINGTON - The Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership (CWGGL) at Howard University is excited to announce the appointment of Anjerrika Bean, PhD as assistant director. The center is an interdisciplinary global center of excellence for Black women and gender issues, feminist activism, and transformational leadership through global engagement, research, service learning, and impactful partnerships. In her role, Bean will be responsible for assisting with the overall administrative operations of the center and the implementation of the CWGGL vision.

"I am inspired by the commitment of the CWGGL to building an atmosphere of excellence for women of color. I am proud to be able to play an intricate role in the implementation of innovative solutions for the progressive movement of women of color,” said Bean.

 “The appointment of Dr. Bean is part of my vision of building a strong foundation for the center. Expanding the team of the center allows for growth in our programming and accelerates our vision of serving our students, faculty, and community. I am excited to have Dr. Bean join our team, as she brings to this role her expertise in program management, research and feminist activism, all crucial elements for meeting the vision of the center,” said Jarpa Dawuni, PhD, founding director of the center.

Bean is a native of Beaumont, Texas, and a proud veteran of the United States Airforce. As a researcher, she is a sociologist and criminologist with a concentration in criminology and inequality. Bean obtained her B.S. in Christian leadership from the College of Biblical Studies. She continued her higher educational pursuit and earned her M.A. in sociology from Prairie View A&M University and PhD in sociology and criminology from Howard University. Before her appointment with CWGGL, she was the Dr. Ralph Gomes Social Justice post-doctoral fellow at Howard University in the history department. Bean also served as the diversity research associate consultant for Bowie State University Multicultural Programs and Services department.

Through her research, she examines race and gender as it relates to domestic/intimate partner violence in the faith-based community, purposely focusing on the reporting procedures of Black women in these communities. Implications of her research will provide a greater understanding of how marginalized social groups adopt, internalize, negotiate, and challenge hegemonic conceptions of race and gender. Bean focuses on the impact of social injustices in communities of color, domestic abuse, and the cultural and economic empowerment of women of color. She knows that her background, research training, and experiences have prepared her to empower people to achieve their highest life goals.