I am an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where I am also an affiliate faculty member in the Department of Black Studies and the Center for Black Studies Research.

My research examines the intersection of race, political economy, and education policy in the United States. I am especially interested in how political elites construct narratives of institutional failure to justify the restructuring of democratic governance in Black communities.

My current book project traces the political history of state takeover policies in Michigan and their consequences for public education in Detroit. At UCSB, I teach courses on African American politics, democracy and inequality, and Black political thought.