Dr. Yaba Blay is an “Independent People’s Worker” who works in service of Black liberation every day. A scholar-activist, cultural worker, ethnographer, and occasional writer, her practice centers global Black lived experiences, particularly those of Black women and girls. Her research and scholarship engage the Black body, with a particular focus on colorism and beauty politics.
Widely respected as one of the foremost thought leaders on the Black experience, Dr. Blay is a globally sought-after speaker on such topics as colorism, skin bleaching, beauty politics, as well as her various creative projects. She boasts an extensive client list of over two dozen academic institutions including Harvard University, Duke University, Spelman College, New York University, to name a few; and such corporate entities as Netflix, UniLever International, SheaMoisture, Estee Lauder Companies, Procter & Gamble’s ‘My Black is Beautiful,’ and me too. International.
In 2012, she served as a producer on CNN’s television documentary, “Who is Black in America?,” and has since been named one of today’s leading Black voices by ‘The Root 100’ and Essence Magazine’s ‘Woke 100.’ She has appeared on CNN, ABC, BET, MSNBC, BBC, and NPR, and her work has been featured in The New York Times, EBONY, Essence, Fast Company, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Colorlines, and The Root, just to name a few. Lauded by O Magazine for her social media activism, she has launched several viral campaigns including ‘Locs of Love,’ #PrettyPeriod, and Professional Black Girl.
Dr. Blay’s likeness and commentary are featured in A Changing America: 1968 and Beyond, a permanent installation exhibited in the National Museum of African American History and Culture; and she is the author of the bestselling, award-winning book, One Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race.
Yaba earned a Master of Arts and PhD in African American Studies (with distinction) and a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies from Temple University. She also holds a Master of Education in Counseling Psychology from the University of New Orleans. The former Dan Blue Endowed Chair in Political Science at North Carolina Central University, she has also taught on the faculties of Lehigh University, Lafayette College, and Drexel University, where she served as the Director of the Africana Studies program.
EXPERTISE:
Colorism
Beauty politics, particularly in relation to Black women and girls (skin color/hair politics)
Black aesthetic practices
Black racial/cultural identity