July 2023 - Moving Through Milestones
Thank you for your support! We couldn't do it without you!
Thank you for taking the time to join us on the journey from hatred of Black women (misogynoir) to justice (mishpat). The Misogynoir to Mishpat (M2M) Research Network began with the support of colleagues at the University of Leeds in 2020 who helped us dream and then plan the best strategies for reaching African descended women in religious scholarship, religious leadership and activism which impacts and supports African descended communities. We considered the best ways to solicit academic grants to support this work and created the initial structures upon which we rely today.
2021
Our official launch was in April 2021. For that year, we published 21 posts and had 2,400 viewers in 10 countries. We were pleased to have that initial support!
2022
In 2022, we accomplished: 109 published posts, 2,800 views and 1,625 visitors to the website. We reached people in 31 countries. We also shared numerous profiles and hosted the “Decolonizing God,” seminar featuring phenomenal scholars such as Prof. Esther Mombo, Rosetta Ross and Mitzi Smith. We also launched the Mentoring Café where we intentionally focus on African descended women in religious scholarship to strengthen their publication and grant capture goals.
2023
As for 2023, it still feels as if we are just getting started, but during the first six months of this year, we accomplished: 3,400 views and 950 visitors. We are grateful for that support. Our reach has extended to nearly 60 countries and we have published 366 posts – in the first six months! We have been synthesizing content regarding current events, sharing information which reflects our activist priorities (including missing Black women and girls, gendered violence and Black maternal morbidity).
New Endeavors
- In May, we started Substack where we engage with multiple thinkers and contemporary issues of relevance for us all. Our Substack work provides opportunities for our readers to support the work we’re doing. We regularly use “Notes” on Substack to facilitate discussion of upcoming blogs that we believe will be of interest to you.
- We also started a Facebook Group
- (https://www.facebook.com/groups/892718324979305 ). We will be using our Facebook group for additional discussion opportunities.
- We warmly invite you to join us with both groups. You can also find us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/gynoir2mishpat).
- We hosted our first seminar in March 2023 to explore the theme, “Unbow Your Heads, Sistah: Leveraging Strength From the Margins.” In this seminar, we unveiled our goals for supporting independent scholars with new pilot programs that we believe will be a game changer! Through this endeavor, we will assist scholars in grant capture and academic publication – two of the three most important contributions made by scholars (with teaching as the third).
The M2M Research Network Moving Forward
As I said, we are just getting started – we have a lot more content, new seminars, and we hope to will soon be able to provide additional information regarding our pilot programs. Substack will provide weekly subscriber content, with additional thought-provoking essays and free seminar access for paid subscribers.
We are particularly focused on standing in the gap with African descended women who have PhDs within religious scholarship. The system was never designed for us. But together, we can create a power on the margins that rivals what others have done before us.
You may use this power to successfully move into a full-time lectureship or professorship. Additional full-time work may include working as: an administrator, a researcher (receiving full funding for your research projects) or work as a non-academic. If you do these things with an unyielding commitment to mentor others, you have repaid our hard work!
Until that day happens, we will do everything possible to help you see and live into the vision of that power on the margins. From there, you only have to open the gates!
Our work is reader supported. We are inviting you to share our work at the Misogynoir to Mishpat (M2M) Research Network. You can do this today.
In addition, if you haven’t already subscribed, please do so now. If you have subscribed, please consider upgrading your subscription.
We encourage you to refer others to our Substack. As a thank you, we will provide you with a monetary incentive with every two people that join our Substack thanks to you.
Thank you for taking the time to join us on the journey with the Misogynoir to Mishpat Research Network. We began with the support of colleagues at the University of Leeds in 2020 who helped us dream and then plan the best strategies for reaching African descended women in religious scholarship, religious leadership and activism which impacts and supports African descended communities. We considered the best ways to solicit academic grants to support this work and created the initial structures upon which we rely today.
Please subscribe today and forward this email to help us reach more people. Keep in touch with Misogynoir to Mishpat Research Network:
https://misogynoir2mishpat.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/892718324979305
https://twitter.com/gynoir2mishpat
Here’s a sneak peek at our Substack today with great surprises in store in September. Even though we are on hiatus from July 1 – Aug 31st, our Substack subscribers will receive at least one new blog per week. Paid subscribers will receive at least two weekly blogs through the summer. Our latest blog uses a conversation with Brittney Cooper to explore the way misogynoir functions within the Black community. The blog entitled, “Get Your Knees Off Our Necks” boldly calls us to community and encourages Black men to reconsider misogynoir’s flourishing – particularly when identifying the way Black women continue to show up for men. Not all Black men engage in these destructive behaviors. Yet, it is important for Black women to name the vitriol as part of our call to building authentic community.
Thank you for reading, and we look forward to seeing you in September. We will introduce our theme for the new academic year, provide daily content on our website, great discussions on other platforms (Facebook and Twitter) and in-depth Substack content.
Enjoy your summer!