Lisa Betty

Education

Fordham University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, History PhD Candidate, Present

New York University, Gallatin School of Individualized Study, Master of Arts, 2016
Thesis: The historic and current use of social enterprise in food system and agricultural markets to dismantle the systemic weakening of African descended communities
Field(s) - Nonprofit Management, Criminal Justice, Sociocultural History, Food Policy

Howard University, Graduate School, Master of Arts in History, 2013
Thesis: "Neo African Americans", "Native African Americans", and the African American Dream: The Incorporation of the History of Voluntary Black Immigrants into the African American Historical Narrative
Field(s) - African Diaspora

George Washington University, Bachelor of Arts in History, 2008

Biography/Research Interests
Lisa Betty is a PhD candidate in History at Fordham University. She serves as Graduate Assistant for the Bronx African American History Project supporting Bronx community collaboration and development of the oral history digital archive. Lisa studies modern history focusing on the themes of Labor, Migration, and Diaspora in the Americas, the Caribbean and Africa. In addition to her research within academic spaces, she has worked in the field of nonprofit advocacy serving in organizations that advocate for children, families and incarcerated populations.

Presentations
“Pragmatic Pan Africanismo: An exploration of Abdias do Nascimento’s role as a transnational mediator of Afro-Latin Pan Africanism”
Panelist, 2nd Kwame Nkrumah Pan African Intellectual and Cultural Festival at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana (July, 2017)
Panelist, 9th Annual Charles Town International Maroon Conference, Portland, Jamaica (June, 2017)
Panelist, 19th International Conference on “New Political Science” and a special philosophy colloquium convened by the University of Havana in Havana, Cuba (November, 2016)

“A Brief Survey of #BlackLivesMatter: Voices from the Movement”
Panelist, 2015 Feminist Artists, Activists, and Academics – Critical Race Feminism, NYU in Durban, South Africa (November, 2015)

“The historic and current use of social enterprise in food system and agricultural markets to dismantle the systemic weakening of African descended communities”
Panelist, 8th Annual Charles Town International Maroon Conference, Portland, Jamaica (June, 2016)
Panelist, 17th Annual Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies Conference on “Revolution, Socio-Economic Change and Freedoms” convened by The University of the West Indies in Cave Hill, Barbados (April, 2016)
Panelist, 18th International Conference on “New Political Science” and a special philosophy colloquium convened by the University of Havana in Havana, Cuba (November, 2015)
Panelist, 7th International AESOP Sustainable Food Planning Conference: Localizing urban food strategies convened by AESOP and University of Turin in Turin, Italy (October, 2015)

Volunteer Activities/Support Staff

History Makers, Fordham University – Bronx, NY (July, 2017)
Faculty, Lecture “Afro-Caribbean Soul”

Critical Race Feminism, NYU – Durban, South Africa (November, 2015)
Conference Facilitator, 2015 Feminist Artists, Activists, and Academics

Prison Education Program at NYU – New York, NY (April, 2015 – July, 2015)
Graduate Student Volunteer, Wallkill Correctional Facility

The Gathering for Justice, Harry Belafonte Enterprises – New York, NY (Feb, 2014 – Oct, 2014)
Volunteer Coordinator for “Growing Up Locked Down” (GULD) conference, The New School
Juvenile Justice Volunteer

South African Education Leadership Initiative – Cambridge, MA/Johannesburg, South Africa (July, 2012)
Conference Facilitator (Harvard Graduate School of Education/University of Johannesburg)

Fellowships/Awards/Membership/Training

Graduate Assistantship, Fordham GSAS, 2016/17, 2017/18
Centennial Scholarship, Fordham GSAS, 2016/17, 2017/18
Summer 2017 GSAS Research Fellowship
Spring 2017 GSAS Research Support Grant

Member of Albert Gallatin Lecture Committee, lecture by Austin Sarat of Amherst College (August 2014 – October 2014)
Co-Chair and Children's Defense Fund staff liaison of the New Abolitionist Association (DMV area), CDF supported youth led activist group with university chapters (August 2012 – June 2013)
Member of Recruitment and Outreach Committee for 2012 CDF National Conference, “Pursing Justice for Children and the Poor” (March 2012 – July 2012)

Training Participant, Black and Latinx Farmers Immersion at Soul Fire Farm - Troy, NY (July, 2017)
Training Participant and Facilitation support staff, Kingian Nonviolence and Popular Education and Organizing at The Highlander Center (TN) with The Dream Defenders, facilitated by The Gathering for Justice & East Point Peace Academy (March, 2014)