Simone Drake

Simone Drake is the Hazel C. Youngberg Trustees Distinguished Professor in the Department of English at The Ohio State University, with affiliations to the Moritz College of Law, Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, African American and African Studies, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Her interdisciplinary work bridges critical race/gender studies, legal frameworks, and humanities-informed public policy. She holds a PhD in English Literature from the University of Maryland, MSL from Moritz College of Law, and multiple MA degrees from Ohio State.

Research focuses on African diaspora narratives, particularly how race, gender, and law intersect in cultural production. Recent projects include the book Becoming Educated (in progress), the documentary Shutdown, and the digital humanities project Black Women’s Birthing Narratives. Former roles include Vice Chair/Chair of African American and African Studies and Director of its Community Extension Center. She advises on diversity initiatives and curriculum design.

Awards include the Alisa Mellon Bruce Visiting Senior Fellowship. Grants and collaborations span engineering, agriculture, education, and public health. Community engagement emphasizes translating scholarship into actionable equity strategies.

• Education: BA Classical Studies/English (Denison), MA African American Studies (OSU), PhD English Literature (Maryland), MSL (Moritz)

Research interests span Black feminist theory, legal humanities, and cultural policy. Current projects blend archival work, documentary filmmaking, and digital storytelling to address historical erasure and contemporary inequities.