About the Founder…

LaWanda M. Simpkins, Ph.D. is an independent scholar and founder and President of Creative Justice, Inc., a non-profit organization that specializes in creating spaces for conversations centered on social justice and advocacy. As an academic, Simpkins specializes in courses and curriculum development in areas directly connected with women’s & gender studies, race, and adult education. Due to her extensive background, Simpkins approaches teaching and learning from a Freirean approach, which is radical in nature. Her research focuses on hegemonic norms and how dominant structures and ideologies affect the collective identity of marginalized populations, specifically Black and Brown people. Her terminal degree lies within Educational Studies with a concentration in Cultural Foundations. She also has a certificate in Women’s & Gender Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She was the James Farmer Post Doctoral Fellow of Social Justice & Civil Rights at the University of Mary Washington. Simpkins is a proud product of a Historically Black College & University (HBCU) holding a Master’s degree in Adult Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration Marketing from North Carolina A&T State University. She has extensive experience working with audiences on issues dealing with cultural competency, equity, diversity, belonging, and social justice and advocacy.