Watufani Poe

Watufani Poe is an Assistant Professor of Activist Media in the Department of Communication at Tulane University's School of Liberal Arts. Their research focuses on Black LGBTQ+ identity, Afro-Latin America, and Black feminist ethnography. Poe holds a Ph.D. in Africana Studies from Brown University (2021), with designated emphases in Feminism, Gender, and Sexuality, alongside degrees from Brown and Swarthmore College.

**Research Interests:** Poe's work examines intersections of race, gender, and sexuality in Brazil and the Global South. They employ ethnographic methods to analyze activist media, queer worldmaking, and Black diasporic identities. Their recent publications explore Black LGBTQ+ political strategies, transnational queer movements, and media representation.

**Awards & Grants:** Poe has been recognized through prestigious fellowships including the SSRC Mellon International Dissertation Research Fellowship (2019), US Fulbright Program (Brazil, 2018-2019), and Tinker Research Grant (2016-2017).

**Professional Experience:** Before Tulane, Poe served as Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh (2022-2023) and held a postdoctoral fellowship at Amherst College (2021-2022). They teach courses on global Black queer studies and critical media analysis.