Clitha Mason

Background

About Clitha Mason

Doctoral Candidate in American Cultural Studies concentrated in the critical studies of film and media. My graduate certificate is in Ethnic Studies but I also teach race and class; gender and sexuality studies and Black Popular Culture. I have developed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and workshops for professionals in nonprofit fields and the general public. During the pandemic, I conducted several DEI programs virtually, across social media platforms in response to the attention on social disparities of many marginalized groups. Careerwise, I am seeking work in cultural institutions, for example, academic and research libraries, special collections and archives, and in museums and historical societies. While working in libraries, special collections and archives I did a range of activities from program development for students and the public. I work well in collaborative projects and am able to work with scholars across multiple disciplines. As a film studies scholar and as a cultural scholar, my foci and expertise are rooted in, but not limited to working-class, underclass, and queer populations, and the intersectional relationships with communities of color. My dissertation project is a study of Chicago's historic Bronzeville community in post-Civil Rights America. Some of the theories that inform my project include: Theories of Social Representation, Intersectionality, Queer Theory, Minority Discourse Theory, Hood Feminism, Womanism, Inner-City Studies, and Media Studies. I have proficiencies in qualitative methods of inquiry, including oral histories and storytelling.