Stacey A. Robinson

Stacey A. Robinson serves as Associate Professor of Graphic Design at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's School of Art and Design. His academic profile reflects a multidisciplinary practice spanning graphic design, exhibition art, illustration, graphic novels, and DJing. Previously, he was a 2019-2020 Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellow at Harvard University's Hutchins Center for African & African American Research.

• MFA, Visual Studies, University at Buffalo, 2015
• BFA, Computer Graphics, Fayetteville State University, 2012
• AA, Graphic Design, Fayetteville Technical Community College, 2006

Robinson's research explores decolonized Black futures through multiple media forms including collage, motion graphics, illustration, and DJing. His work sits at the intersection of science fiction, Black liberation politics, and comic book culture, creating what he terms 'disruptive visual respite' for audiences. His artistic practice is deeply informed by his early experiences interning at Milestone Media Inc. (a Black-owned comic book company) and Black Enterprise magazine in New York City.

His scholarly output demonstrates consistent engagement with themes of Black futurity and social justice, with publications spanning books, chapters, and journal articles that examine critical race theory through visual media. Recent works like 'Illmatic Consequences' and 'Across the Tracks' showcase his commitment to documenting and reimagining Black historical narratives through contemporary visual frameworks.

• Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship (2019-2020) from Harvard University's Hutchins Center

Robinson maintains significant collaborative relationships including Black Kirby (with John Jennings, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at UC Riverside), BLACKMAU (with UIUC psychologist Kamau Grantham), BSAM (the Black Speculative Arts Movement), and Darker Than Blue (a DJ quintet based in Champaign-Urbana). His fingerprint analysis reveals strong connections to Black Masculinity, African American Studies, Hip-hop, and Graphic Design as core research areas.