Tracy Heather Strain

Tracy Heather Strain is a faculty member at Wesleyan University, holding the title of Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies and Associate Professor of Film Studies. She also serves as Associate Director of the College of Film and the Moving Image and Co-Director of the Wesleyan Documentary Project. Her documentary filmmaking explores race, gender, ethnicity, class, and sexuality through individual stories that challenge societal narratives.

• Academic Affiliations include Wesleyan University’s Film Studies Department and College of Film and the Moving Image.
• Co-founded The Film Posse with Randall MacLowry, producing award-winning documentaries for American Experience and other platforms.

Research Interests span documentary storytelling for social justice, cultural and historical narratives, and intersections of race, gender, and class. Her films often address African American arts, health disparities, and historical memory through a lens of empowerment and marginalized voices.

Scientific and Artistic Awards include multiple Peabody Awards, a NAACP Image Award, the American Historical Association’s John E. O’Connor Film Award, and a Chicken & Egg Award. She has also received Emmy nominations for her producing work.

Teaching courses such as Introduction to Documentary, Documentary Storytelling, and Documentary Production reflect her commitment to documentary education and community-based storytelling. Her current projects include a poetic essay on African-descended peoples’ relationships with water and a documentary about John Henry.