Sheri Parks

Sheri Parks is an Associate Professor of American Studies and Associate Dean for Research at the University of Maryland, College Park's College of Arts and Humanities. She also directs the Arts and Humanities Center for Synergy. Her work focuses on public aesthetics, examining how race, gender, social class, and sexuality shape cultural meaning. She is a noted black feminist scholar and media commentator, contributing to WYPR-NPR and the Baltimore Sun's podcast Roughly Speaking.

• Education: Ph.D. in Communication Studies (University of Massachusetts-Amherst), M.A. Communication Studies (UMass-Amherst), B.A. English and Radio/TV/Motion Pictures (UNC-Chapel Hill)

Her research explores cultural histories influencing American social dynamics, with a focus on Black feminist aesthetics and public humanities. Notable works include Fierce Angels, analyzing the 'Strong Black Woman' archetype. She has secured major grants, including a National Endowment for the Humanities grant for Baltimore Stories and a Mellon Foundation award for Digital Humanities and African American Studies.

Awards include Essence magazine's Editor’s Pick for Fierce Angels. Her interdisciplinary efforts bridge academia, media, and community engagement.