Fernando Esquivel-Suarez

Fernando Esquivel-Suarez, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at Spelman College, where he has been a faculty member since 2013. His work bridges drug policy analysis, racial justice advocacy, and cultural representation studies, focusing on systemic inequities in drug enforcement across the United States and Latin America.

Education:

• Ph.D. and M.A. in English, Emory University
• B.A. in English, Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá-Colombia)

Dr. Esquivel-Suarez employs interdisciplinary methodologies such as data analysis, narrative critique, and community-based collaboration. His research explores how drug policies disproportionately affect marginalized communities, while his scholarship challenges harmful stereotypes in cultural narratives about the war on drugs and substance use. His work emphasizes harm reduction strategies and equity-centered reforms.

Scientific Awards:

• UNCF/Mellon Faculty Residency Program (2024)
• National Humanities Center Fellowship (2020)

Dr. Esquivel-Suarez partners with grassroots organizations and international researchers to visualize narcotics-related arrest data and applies his grant-writing expertise to support social justice initiatives. His publications include analyses of hip-hop's engagement with drug policy and Afrodiasporic social movements in Colombia.