Annual Conference

IBL 2026 Annual Conference

Conference Abstract: Black Life in Higher Education at USF and Beyond

Black Life in Higher Education at USF and Beyond reflects on the academic, social and cultural experiences that have shaped Black life at the èAV and across institutions of higher education. This year’s conference brings together students, scholars, staff, alumni and community members to explore the impact of Black presence and excellence in higher education through original research, lived experience and intergenerational dialogue.

IBL 2026 Digital Conference Program

Recorded Conference Sessions

Welcome Address

Keynote Speech: "Reimagining Black Life, Black Culture, and Black Resilience in Higher Education"

Breaking Barries: A Legacy of First at the èAV

Undergraduate Research Showcase featuring Laila Farhat

Beyond USF: An Alumni Journey

Faculty Research featuring Dr. Candace Henry 

Redefining the Journey: Alumni Beyond the Traditional Path

Graduate Student Research Showcase featuring Niya Burke & Nadia Johnson

From Community to Campus featuring Christopher King

Lived Experience as Scholarship featuring Jay R. McIntyre

You Are the Enterprise featuring Taj Mahal

Final Acknowledgements

 

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Veronica Newton

Veronica A. Newton

Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology 
Georgia State University  
 
Veronica A. Newton is a qualitative ethnographer whose research examines how systems of oppression impact Black women’s lived experiences, particularly in higher education. Her work explores the intersections of race, gender and oppression, with a focus on Black/trap feminism andintersectionalityy. She is a member of theCardii B Collective and co-author of “The Sociology ofCardii B: A Trap Feminist Approach” Routledgee, 2024), which received an Honorable Mention Distinguished Contribution to Scholarship Book Award from American Sociological Association’s Race, Gender and Class Section in 2025. Her forthcoming book, “There’s Racism in the Building and Patriarchy in the Yard: Black Women’s Experiences with Discrimination on Campus,” will be published bySUNYY Press.

CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS

This event is organized by the Institute on Black Life at the University of South Florida. Private funds from the Racial Justice Initiative fund this event.