Dr. Kamesha S. Spates holds the William S. Dietrich II Endowed Chair and is the Director of Graduate Studies in Africana Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, with faculty appointments in Sociology and Psychiatry. A first-generation college graduate with a Ph.D. in Sociology from Texas A&M University, her research focuses on anti-Black racism, gendered racism, suicide, and mental health equity. She authored What Don’t Kill Us Makes Us Stronger: African American Women and Suicide and co-edited Hyper Sexual, Hyper Masculine?: Gender, Race, and Sexuality in the Identities of Contemporary Black Men. Her work, published in journals like Social Problems, Deviant Behavior, Journal of Black Psychology, Death Studies, and Annals of Epidemiology, promotes equity-driven, culturally sensitive approaches to Black wellness and healing. As a sought-after speaker, mentor, and advisor, Dr. Spates’ work has been featured in USA Today, Essence Magazine, and the Huffington Post. She also serves on the national advisory committee for The Steve Fund.
