Yaba Blay
Dr. Yaba Blay is a scholar-activist and cultural creative whose
scholarship, work, and practice centers on the lived experiences of Black women and girls, with a particular interest in body, identity, and beauty politics. Lauded by O Magazine for her social media activism and digital campaign, #PrettyPeriod, she is also the creator of #ProfessionalBlackGirl, a popular web series and digital community that celebrates the everyday, round-the-way beauty of Black girl culture. Yaba has been named one of today’s leading Black voices by ‘The Root 100’ and Essence Magazine’s ‘Woke 100.’ Her commentary is featured in A Changing America: 1968 and Beyond, a permanent installation exhibited in the National Museum of African American History and Culture. She has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNN, BET, MSNBC, BBC, and NPR, and her work has been featured in The New York Times, EBONY, Essence, Fast Company, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Colorlines, and The Root, and more. Dr. Yaba Blay earned a Master of Arts and PhD in African American Studies (with distinction) and a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies from Temple University. She also holds a Master of Education in Counseling Psychology from the University of New Orleans.
