About Jenia
Jenia Browne (they/she) is a Black feminist student and activist with a passion for social change and grassroots community engagement. They graduated magna cum laude in May 2024 from Northeastern University with a B.A. in International Affairs with minors in Black Feminist Studies and Environmental Studies minors. Their research interests include Black feminist studies, Black queer studies, small island states, sustainable urban spaces, and equitable transit systems.
They have previously served as the 2022-2023 Northeastern Black Student Association President and on the executive board of Afrospectrum, Northeastern's Black queer affinity group. Jenia is a 2023-2024 Point Foundation Walter Decker Flagship Scholar and a Zandra I. Flemister '73 Fellow through the Northeastern Center for International Affairs and World Cultures. In addition, they are a two-time Point Foundation BIPOC Scholar and a recipient of the Thomas I. Atkins Social Justice Award. They have served in mentorship positions through the Summer Bridge Program and Northeastern's International Affairs Program.
Jenia has gained research experience through their independent research on queer gender expressions in sub-Saharan Africa funded by a Project-Based Exploration for the Advancement of Knowledge (PEAK) Experiences Award at the Summit level, their Fall 2022 independent study on the resistive nature of Black lesbian anthologies, and their time as a research assistant on the Northeastern History Department's 3D Black Boston Project. They have worked in non-profit affordable housing and transportation systems during their time as a Sustainability Programs Intern at the Community Preservation Cooperation and their role as a Strategic Research Assistant for the MBTA's Office of Performance Management and Innovation (OPMI). They have also served as an Africana Studies Program Assistant, a Africana Studies Student Advisory Council member, and a Northeastern Undergraduate Writing Tutor.
Jenia aims to use their education to promote social justice and equity through education and community organization. Outside of professional and extracurricular activities, they enjoy 80s/90s movies, classical music, theater, reading tarot cards, dancing, and crocheting.
Personal Note
I started and re-continued this blog to reaffirm that Black, queer people exist. We are strong, present, and extraordinary. We also struggle, break, and take space. All queer voices in the afro-diaspora deserve to be represented, regardless of where they are, how they express themselves, or how they define their identity.
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I hope that in all my work, I bring this perspective to the table. Growing up queer and of Caribbean descent, learning about the activists and ancestors that came before me brightens my soul. It shows me who I am, who I came from, and how much I can be in a world that doesn't want me to exist. If this blog provides that light to even one person, it'll be worth it.
- Jenia