“I believe that in order to create a world in which white supremacy and anti-Black racism are relics of a distant past we must work to build alternative institutions that cultivate practices of radical political education.”

Christopher Petrella, Ph.D., teaches courses in American Cultural Studies at American University and explores the intellectual histories of race and resistance.  His work and pedagogy historicizes the ways in race is constructed and contested through citizenship education, carcerality, and migration. He also serves as Associate Director of Programs for the Office of Equity and Diversity at Bates. Chris develops the political education curriculum for Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights camp for youth. His work has been featured in The New Yorker and Harper’s Magazine. Christopher is a first-generation college graduate.