
Day 5

Dr. H. Sharif “Herukhuti” Williams
Why you need a “possibility model” (or two or three).
H. Sharif “Herukhuti” Williams, PhD, MEd is a cultural studies scholar, sex researcher-educator, systems theorist, cultural worker (e.g., playwright, poet, and performance artist) and interdisciplinary sociocultural scientist whose work operates at the intersection of race, culture, sexuality and spirituality. A thought leader on Black sexuality, he has published several books and numerous scholarly and popular articles on the topic. He is the founder and chief erotics officer of the Center for Culture, Sexuality, and Spirituality and the editor-in-chief of its webjournal, sacredsexualities.org. He contributes to various academic communities including holding editorial board memberships at the Journal of Black Sexuality and Relationships and the Journal of Bisexuality. He mentors academics and non-academics and is a life coach.
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I'm an Associate Professor of Literacy and Language, African American Studies, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at The Pennsylvania State University. I focus on dismantling supremacist patriarchies through research, teaching, and coaching. As a sociocultural literacist, I work to understand personal and public voices and stories to solve personal and public problems. I do this by researching the evolutionary nature and function of literacies and texts through the discourses of narrative research. My work exposes impetuses for various personal and social ills such as racism, sexism, and ableism.
I love to mediate way before dawn, work out like a soldier, and shop alone. I prefer rum to wine, jeans to skirts, and like my heels sky high (except when I'm wearing cowboy boots). Every year I ask my stylist to cornrow and bead my hair in homage to Patrice Rushen and Stevie Wonder (if you know of these artists and understand why demonstrating embodied respect for them is important, we can probably be friends). I believe in ghosts, fairies, and hobbits (for real). Musically, I vibe to old school everything (hip hop, R&B, jazz, rock, and classical) and especially dig Hildegard von Bingen. I trust children a little bit more than adults, respect teens for their fearlessness, admire elders for their tenacity, and occasionally prefer the company of dogs to people. I'm really getting into interior design and have a penchant for acquiring east coast real estate. I'm also a survivor of multiple terrors in love.
I invite you to learn more about me and the projects I am involved with at JeanineStaples.com.