معرفی
Christi Cunningham serves as Professor of Law and Director of the Education Law Institute at Howard University School of Law, with prior service as Associate Assistant Secretary for Regulatory Affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor during the Obama Administration (2009-2012).
Her academic credentials include:
- J.D. from Yale Law School (1992), member of Yale Law Journal and Yale Journal of Law and Feminism
- B.A. and B.S. from Southern Methodist University (1989), graduating summa cum laude as Truman Scholar
Professor Cunningham's research critically examines identity politics, discrimination frameworks, and intersections of race/gender across legal domains. Her scholarship challenges conventional interpretations of Title VII protections and sexual harassment jurisprudence, emphasizing how identity categories function within legal systems. This work bridges theoretical analysis with practical civil rights implications, particularly in education and employment contexts.
Her publication timeline (1991-2002) reveals evolving focus from foundational feminist legal theory to systemic analyses of identity markets and racialized legal frameworks. Recurring themes include deconstruction of 'protected class' paradigms, critique of 'severe or pervasive' harassment standards, and exploration of how identity categories shape legal outcomes without tangible job consequences.
She has received institutional awards for teaching excellence and university service.
Academic leadership includes directing Howard Law's Legal Reasoning Research and Writing program and teaching diverse courses from Torts to Gender and the Law. Community engagement spans founding a D.C. anti-violence nonprofit coordinating faith-based services, mediating for the D.C. Department of Mental Health, and consulting for South Africa's government. Her artistic contributions through the Black Women Playwrights' Group feature productions at the Kennedy Center and Studio Theatre.
