معرفی
Melissa Wood Bartholomew (she/her) is the **Associate Dean for Community and Belonging** and **Lecturer on Community and Belonging** at Harvard Divinity School (HDS). She holds a BA and JD from Howard University, an MDiv from HDS, and an MSW and PhD in social work from Boston College. Her work integrates legal practice, ministry, and academia to address systemic racism and promote healing through spiritually-engaged, multifaith strategies rooted in Ubuntu philosophy and restorative justice.
**Education**:
- Bachelor of Arts & Juris Doctor (Howard University)
- Master of Divinity (Harvard Divinity School)
- Master of Social Work & PhD in Social Work (Boston College)
**Research Focus**: Examines the psychological impacts of racism, incarceration, and oppression on Black communities, with emphasis on resistance through religion/spirituality. She has conducted fieldwork in Rwanda (restorative justice) and Ghana (transformational leadership).
**Teaching**: Part-time faculty at Boston College, instructing restorative justice at the School of Law and diversity in the School of Social Work. At HDS, she teaches courses on racial justice and community belonging.
**Professional Background**: Former attorney with nearly a decade in public interest law (Washington state), including roles as Assistant Attorney General and legal aid attorney. Transitioned to ministry after recognizing law’s limitations in addressing systemic heart-level change.
