Dr. Tressie McMillian Cottom
Acclaimed author, award-winning sociologist and Professor
Tressie McMillian Cottom is an award-winning sociologist, MacArthur Foundation Fellow, New York Times contributing opinion writer, and acclaimed author. As a cultural critic, her essays analyze and comment on some nation’s most pressing social issues. Cottom is the author of two books: “Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy” and “Thick: And Other Essays", which made Cottom a 2019 finalist for the National Book Award. In 2023, Cotton was the winner of the Joseph B and Toby Gittler Prize for her writing covering the intersections of race, education, technology, class and gender. Currently Cottom is a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a principal investigator at the Center for Information, Technology and Public Life.
How does Cottom embody Facing Race’s theme: “Rooted in Resistance, Powered by Solidarity”?
- She connects Southern history to national progress: Facing Race will be a homecoming for Cottom as an HBCU alum. From unpacking Southern institutions to analyzing national political trends, Cottom frequently draws on her roots to explore race, gender, and power across generations in ways that are clear, urgent, and accessible.
- She models how we build narrative power: Through her columns and books, Cottom deconstructs our social issues and shows us how to use stories to shape a liberatory vision for a world where we all can thrive.
- She reminds us that democracy requires participation: Cottom actively works to counter political exhaustion, urging communities to build lasting power through deeper collective organizing and active, everyday civic participation.
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Cottom as our keynote speaker for this year’s conference and can’t wait to share in her wisdom!