Charlesia McKinney

Charlesia McKinney is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at the University of Illinois, affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Her research focuses on Black & Feminist Literacies, Pleasure Politics, and Qualitative Research Methodologies. She holds a PhD in English from the University of Kansas (2022) and a BA in English from Kansas State University (2014).

Her work bridges Gender/Sexuality Studies and Writing Studies, emphasizing intersectional approaches to pedagogy and anti-racist educational practices. Courses taught include Black Women Writers, Feminist Rhetorics, and Queer Pedagogies. Her articles address topics like intersectionality in higher education and addressing racist rhetoric in composition classrooms.

McKinney advocates for pleasure-centered pedagogies rooted in Black feminist frameworks. She has developed curricula integrating pop culture and critical theory to challenge systemic inequities in academia.