Annual Conference

IBL 2026 Annual Conference

Black Life in Higher Education at USF and Beyond

IBL 2026 Annual Conference, Black Life in Higher Education at USF and Beyond, reflected on the academic, social and cultural experiences that have shaped Black life at the University of South Florida and across institutions of higher education. 

Conference Abstract

Black Life in Higher Education at USF and Beyond reflects on the academic, social and cultural experiences that have shaped Black life at the University of South Florida and across institutions of higher education. This year’s conference brings together students, scholars, staff, alumni and community members to explore the impact of Black presence and excellence in higher education through original research, lived experience and intergenerational dialogue.

CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS

This event is organized by the Institute on Black Life at the University of South Florida. Private funds from the Racial Justice Initiative fund this event.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Veronica A. Newton

Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology 
Georgia State University  
 
Veronica A. Newton is a qualitative ethnographer whose research examines how systems of oppression impact Black women’s lived experiences, particularly in higher education. Her work explores the intersections of race, gender and oppression, with a focus on Black/trap feminism and intersectionality. She is a member of the Cardi B Collective and co-author of “The Sociology of Cardi B: A Trap Feminist Approach” (Routledge, 2024), which received an Honorable Mention Distinguished Contribution to Scholarship Book Award from American Sociological Association’s Race, Gender and Class Section in 2025. Her forthcoming book, “There’s Racism in the Building and Patriarchy in the Yard: Black Women’s Experiences with Discrimination on Campus,” will be published by SUNY Press.