Xavier Smalls

Background

About Xavier Smalls

I'm currently a first year Applied/Cultural Anthropology PhD student at the University of Kentucky also pursuing a certificate in Appalachian Studies. At UK, I engage in a rigorous curriculum at UK that encompasses Anthropology, Black Studies, and Environmental Justice. My dissertation aims to ethnographically research how natural disasters and environmental climate change impact the daily lives and human experiences of BIPOC communities in rural spaces within the United States, such as rural Kentucky. Further, I aspire to research how natural disasters and environmental climate change further exacerbate underlying social disparities such as food insecurity, water scarcity, poverty, and homelessness. Proposed methods for this research include: ethnographic fieldwork; oral histories; Thick Description; Observational, Qualitative, and Quantitative Data Analysis; and Environmental Research. I graduated Summa Cum Laude with Thesis Honors in Anthropology from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, in May 2025. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology & Environmental Studies (Double Major). Some related research and work I've done: MAAC/Cater Research- How Native American and European settlers along the Eastern Shore used oysters differently (depletion vs. environmental stewardship) through archaeological excavation and lab analysis in Denton, MD; Cater Society Research- Food insecurity and the Second Special Period in Cuba; Cuban Music and Dance as "tools of resilience" and "tools of escape" from Second Special Period hardships; EPA research- Tribal children's health and cultural practices in the United States and how they're impacted by air pollution, climate change, and pesticide exposure; work also consisted of creating infographics pertaining to the information for both tribes and the public; ANT/ENV Senior Capstone Experience Research- Water Scarcity's Impact on Health and Human Experiences: United States Southwest vs. the Greater Horn of Africa. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park- 250 Years of History Told From Quotes and Nature as the most "Worthy and Knowledgeable" Storyteller.