Mellon BSIF Showcase

Researchers: 

• Vanessa Raditz (grad mentor)
• Agni Athreya (undergraduate)
• Jamie Allen (undergraduate)
• Minerva Logan (undergraduate)

“StoryMapping Queer Climate Justice”

This project bridges the literature on LGBTQ+ experiences in disasters with the climate justice narratives of queer social movement organizations- in their own words. Working collaboratively with the Astraea Foundation (one of the oldest LGBTQ+ philanthropic institutions), we document their inaugural Climate Justice grant initiative through a “StoryMap” that puts climate justice narratives of queer and trans organizations “on the map” in order to stimulate more research, funding, and power. 

Researchers:

• Maria Chryssopoulos (undergraduate)
• George Contini (faculty mentor)

“Yesterday is Dead” 

This project is a one-woman show called "Yesterday is Dead," which compares lesbian experiences from the 1920s to now. The script has been written and the show is in rehearsals. 

Researchers:

• Sha’Mira Covington (faculty mentor)
• Cammie Hedley (undergraduate)
• Julie Pihera (community partner)

“Go’n by the House”

This project on the solidarities of Black southern and Appalachian women through material culture will be shared in an exhibition at Lyndon House Arts Center. By examining the material artifacts and cultural expressions of these two distinct yet interconnected communities, the project seeks to illuminate shared histories, foster solidarity, and honor the resilience and creativity of Black and Appalachian women. The exhibition opens on April 3, 2025.

Researchers:

• Sophia Flemming (grad mentor)
• Ollie Schmidt (undergraduate)

“Ida B. Wells Barnette: Migratory Personas”

This project explores Ida B. Wells-Barnett as a public and private figure who created her social justice rhetorics to address violence against Black people. Specifically, I look at how Wells-Barnett’s travel and migration experiences shaped her public speaker’s and writer’s identity to help her address domestic and global audiences 

Researchers:

• Dyllon Glaze (undergraduate)
• George Contini (faculty mentor)

“9 to 5: The Musical Dramaturgy”

“Throughout my time as Dramaturg for UGA's production of "9 to 5: The Musical", the Mellon Grant allowed me to delve further into my research than I ever thought possible. I learned about the 9to5 movement in America, the oft-forgotten time that shaped the way offices work today and started the fire for workplace equality that is still burning. Dolly Parton's well-known song is a household name, but the Mellon Grant allowed me to bring the spotlight to the real challenges faced by women clerical workers of the time, and continue the push for workplace equality today, for everyone.” –Dyllon Glaze

Researchers:

• Kathryn Manis (faculty mentor)
• Ashley Okosun (undergraduate)

“HIV/AIDS and Community Health: A Libguide”

This project looks at Patricia Thomas's book, Big Shot: Passion, Politics, and the Struggle for an AIDS Vaccine. Using the Patricia Thomas papers at UGA’s special collections library, a LibGuide will be created to analyze both her novel and how this has affected community health initiatives regarding HIV/AIDS. The project focuses on the intersectionality of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the US, the delay of the vaccine, and social/political stigmas. 

Researchers:

• Alexis Lygoumenous (grad mentor)
• Madison Whitehead (undergraduate)

“Feminist Sonic Materialist Analysis of Gone with the Wind”

How is womanhood produced on screen in Gone with The Wind? In what ways does vocality shape depictions and understandings of muliebrity, race, and domesticity? How do spoken appellations of people and places figure into utterances? This project explores the role of women’s presence and work in capitalist production, including that of the domestic spheres for both the characters of the film and the female identifying contributors of the projects themselves, (of both the film and the novel) such as writer Margaret Mitchell as well as actresses Hattie McDaniel, Butterfly McQueen, and Vivien Leigh.

Researchers: 

• Saifa Tazrin (grad mentor)
• Bangladeshi community partners

“The Dress Dilemma of Bengali Middle-Class Women”

This project investigates the consequences faced by urban middle-class Bangladeshi Muslim women who deviate from the religious norm of purdah and the class-specific cultural norm of respectability in their clothing choices. Specifically, it seeks to answer the question of how different elements of the normative culture and the actions of ideological dominant groups are affecting Bangladeshi women’s agency and autonomy in making personal clothing choices. These issues are vital for building Southern Intersectional Futures because they delve into the complex interplay of gender, power, and contextual cultural norms in the Global South.

Researchers:

• Vybhavi Kotireddy (undergraduate)
• Juliana Nutt (undergraduate)
• Selorm Sovi (grad mentor)
• Dax Ovid (faculty mentor)

“‘You don’t know what you don’t know…’ Exploring Pre-Health Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of Reproductive Physiology”

This project explores how life experiences and educational backgrounds influence students' viewpoints on reproductive health, education, and access in the southern United States, and how community resources can be optimized to effectively educate and inform students on these matters. By investigating how various factors such as access to education and healthcare intersect with individual identities, this research aims to shed light on systemic inequalities and inform educators on effective strategies for promoting equity.

Researchers:

• Emily Tingle (grad mentor)
• Harini Tirumala (undergraduate)

“Financing Democracy: The Construction of Viable Campaigns in Democratic Politics.”

This project uses qualitative methods to help understand the roots of women’s low political representation in the Deep South. Focusing on the Democratic party, this research looks at the role women's organizations play within political party structure, and seeks to understand how women envision political futures in the South.