From PHD (Po Ho on Dope) to Ph.D. How Education Saved My Life One Woman Show by Dr. Elaine Richardson

Dr. Elaine Richardson, aka Dr. E, Professor of Literacy Studies, in the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University, is focused on literacy education of African American and African diasporic people, and specializes in critical language and literacy education for social equality. Dr. E belongs to a global network of Hiphop activist-educators for social transformation.

Richardson founded The Ohio State University Hiphop Literacies Conference and the SistaFriends Afterschool Program in 2011 (currently serving 6-8th grade girls at Sherwood Middle school). Richardson uses her story of recovery from human trafficking and drugs to becoming an award winning Ph.D. and recording artist to motivate others. Her memoir Po Girl on Dope to Ph.D. released on February 13, 2015.

Richardson's bachelor's and master's degrees are from Cleveland State University, 1987-1993, and her doctorate from Michigan State University, 1996. She has won many awards from the National Council of Negro Women, City of Columbus, Cleveland State University Distinguished Alumni and more.

Dr. E is a motivational speaker, author, recording artist and performer, using her voice on behalf of those who have been counted out.

2014-2015 Undergraduate Programming Series “Conversations in Black: Provocative Public Pedagogies in the ‘Post-­‐Racial’ Era"
Cosponsored by the Dept. of African American Studies and the GLBTQA Programs office
For more information contact: Zenzele Isoke at isoke001@umn.edu