Ashley Smith-Purviance

Ashley Smith-Purviance is an Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University, affiliated with the Departments of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and African American and African Studies. Her work critically examines the intersections of anti-Blackness, gender-based violence, and educational policy, focusing on the systemic harm faced by Black girls in schools and society.

• Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison (2020)
• M.S., Syracuse University (2014)
• B.S., DePaul University (2012)

Her research explores alternative educational spaces created for Black girls, emphasizing identity affirmation, joy, and resistance to institutional violence. She is currently developing her first book, (Un)Schooling Black Girls: Navigating Suburbia, Anti-Black-Girl Violence & Mechanisms of School Survival, which synthesizes her community-engaged scholarship.

Smith-Purviance’s recent publications reflect her focus on educational equity, critical race feminism, and cultural studies. These works analyze systemic anti-Black violence, pedagogical reform, and the role of Black girlhood in reshaping societal structures.

• 2022 National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Nellie Mae Education Foundation Grant
• Providence College’s Arts and Sciences Summer Scholars Grant
• American Educational Research Association’s Division G and Critical Educators for Social Justice SIG

As a community-engaged scholar, she co-creates Black girl spaces to address institutional harm. Her grants and awards highlight her commitment to advancing equity through research and activism.