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Xavier University Professor Dr. Charity Clay Advocating Change Rooted in Research

dr. charity clay

Each year, up to six scholars are selected and each receives up to $350,000 distributed over five years for their research. Awards are made to the applicant鈥檚 institution and do not replace the institution鈥檚 current support of the applicant鈥檚 research.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dr. Clay began her academic journey as an accounting major attending DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Her focus began to shift once she found herself enrolled in sociology courses. She developed a need for a deeper understanding of things, people, systems, relationships and how they all work together.听

鈥淚 was playing basketball in college, but once I stopped, I felt lost, and a few of my professors were instrumental in helping me figure out my next moves. Their mentorship and support really showed me how impactful educators are outside of the classroom, and as I was finding out what I wanted to do, I knew I wanted to be in a position to provide the same mentorship and guidance that I was provided鈥 she said.听

Dr. Clay planned to change the world, but she needed to figure out how and was led to the McNair Scholars program designed for underrepresented students pursuing a Ph.D. 听 Through that program, she conducted and presented research on the roles of women in the Black Panther Party and developed a love for research.

鈥淓ducation inequality introduced me to research as an undergrad through a project one of my mentors was doing that he allowed me to collect data for.听 My passion for research and teaching comes from because I鈥檝e always loved learning and sharing what I鈥檝e learned with others. I love sharing knowledge because it allowed me to role model the research process for my students. I understand and value the importance of that mentorship,鈥 said Dr. Clay.

She graduated from Texas A&M, where she received her masters and Ph.D in. Sociology and she immediately began mentoring and teaching upon graduation. Her primary focus in crime, social justice and African American Diaspora studies has allowed her to work with youth affected by social injustice.

鈥淚 moved to Oakland after I graduated to teach at Merritt College, and before that, I did mental health counseling at group homes,鈥 said Dr. Clay. 鈥淚鈥檝e worked one-on-one with people affected by these things. Living in Oakland, many of my students- who were good kids- were having terrible interactions with the legal system that was labeling them and their families as criminals. I knew they weren鈥檛. That鈥檚 when I became interested in police misconduct and Black families.鈥

Dr. Clay hit the ground running when she started at Xavier in 2018. A self-proclaimed 鈥渟ociologist of an African diaspora,鈥 she engages her students by researching the things that have a significant impact on her community.听

鈥淢y main research interests are police terrorism, pan-African resistance movements, constructions of Black womanhood, Black student experiences with Study Abroad,鈥 she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been motivated to study things that are important to my community.听 I also love to get students involved in the research process. I鈥檝e researched HBCU students' perceptions of Africa and African Students鈥 perceptions of Black Americans with the two student research assistants from Xavier and it was great because we presented the research at a conference in Senegal. I also am trying to work with students with great research ideas like one that wants to compare the policing HBCU and treatment students experience as compared to white college students as it relates to assault issues, underage drinking, etc. I believe getting to the root core of these real issues will only shed light and empower us to make better decisions.鈥

Dr. Clay鈥檚 grant-winning research analyzes the impacts of what she has conceptualized as 鈥淪ystemic Police Terrorism鈥. Her research seeks to expand our understanding of police brutality beyond individual acts to understand the systems and mechanisms that enable police terrorism.听 It also seeks to move beyond fatal incidents of police use of force as the primary measure of harm caused.听

鈥淭here are several nonfatal ways that police are damaging Black communities that should be reviewed. When the police come into neighborhoods and destroy people鈥檚 homes, the idea of safety is violated for the whole community. What will they do when they feel unsafe? Who can they trust to help them when those that they are supposed to go to for help are those causing the harm?听 I want this book to help us identify these dynamics, understand their impacts and lead us to solutions about how to address public safety in Black communities,鈥 she Dr. Clay.听听

Dr. Clay did not initially submit her research as an application for the grant. She initially wanted to participate in their research training program to learn as much as she could about best practices in scientific research.听

鈥淲hen I applied to the William T. Grant Foundation鈥檚 training program, I was told that my research would be a better fit for something better. I had no idea this was going to happen, so I鈥檓 very proud,鈥 she said.听听


dr. charity clay


Dr. Clay believes her project stood out due to the mixed methodology she is employing to conduct her research. Dr. Clay鈥檚 technique includes collecting police engagement and statistical data and conducting interviews with those affected in the community; Her innovative inclusion of photographs and videos to document her research personifies the data she collects. She hopes her findings will be converted to a book and then possibly a short documentary.听

鈥淪ociology helps us understand society and really any system. I think it鈥檚 important to create more awareness. Xavier is doing great things outside of biomedical. We are conducting research that will answer the questions we鈥檝e been asking our whole lives. This knowledge empowers us and allows us to take action. We are answering the questions that could really change things.鈥澨

The William T. Grant Foundation prioritizes high-quality research focused on reducing inequality in youth outcomes and improving the use of research evidence in decisions that affect young people in the United States. Its mission includes supporting research aimed to improve the lives of young people. All William T. Grant scholars have the full support of experienced researchers throughout the process of collecting data.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always humbling for someone to recognize the work I have put in as something worthy of being invested in. I鈥檓 very grateful, and I know they probably received hundreds of brilliant ideas but to have them choose mine is very affirming that there鈥檚 value in what I do beyond the ways I think it鈥檚 important,鈥 said Dr. Clay. 鈥淏lack women are few in sociology. There are not many of us in social sciences or the sciences in general. There are entire departments in this country that don鈥檛 even have nonwhite scholars. It鈥檚 still a battle to be represented, present, and to be recognized, but with the support of Xavier University and the assistance of my students, I will do what I can to influence change.听听

For more information on Xavier鈥檚 Sociology program, please follow this link. For more information on Dr. Charity Clay, visit her website .

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