Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Sociology
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2020

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Sociology
University Of Nevada, Las Vegas
2017

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Sociology
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2015

Associate of Arts (A.A.)

Criminal Justice
Community College of the Air Force
2013

Sociology of Poverty

Socioology of Poverty examines the underlying causes and the social, psychological, and political consequences of poverty; the socioeconomic characteristics and family life of the poor; and the community services and programs designed to alleviate poverty.The goal of this course is to explore poverty in the context of the United States from a sociological perspective from a practical standpoint. The course is designed to be both informative and useful in practice. Throughout the quarter we will discuss and learn about how poverty is defined, who sets this definition and explore some of the causes of poverty. Although there are many explanations, this course will use a sociological viewpoint to better understand how structures influence people and shape outcomes for individuals. Throughout the course we will read text that describe the everyday lives of those living in poverty and reflect upon how this impacts society as a whole. We will discuss the various policy and programs attempting to alleviate poverty and discuss their potential positive and negative impact. Furthermore, we will use this information to propose potential actions in the future to lessen and/or address the crisis of poverty.

Introduction to Sociology

Sociology is the study of social life and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. It investigates the structure of groups, organizations and societies, their information development and interaction. Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from crime to religion; from divisions of race, gender and social class to a shared belief of a common culture. The Sociology undergraduate program offers courses such as research methods, statistics, theory, computer based social science research and social organization and demographic analysis. This goal of this program is to equip students for employment in a wide range of occupational fields in the public and private sector, such as social research, the health professions, business, social service, and data processing. Sociology is a popular undergraduate major for students planning to further studies in such professions as law, business, education, social work and public administration. Professional recruiters are interested in well-rounded students with good analytical and communication skills.

Principles of Ethnography

This graduate-level course explores the principles of ethnography as a qualitative research methodology and final written work. In sociology, ethnographic research is centered on understanding the lives of people and groups via examination of their everyday practices. Students will be exposed to various works that demonstrate the methodology of ethnography and the final written form. Using a critical lens, we seek to challenge the canon and explore works that center the Black Experience through ethnography. Using a critical feminist framework and an intersectional lens, we will explore identity and its influence in informing descriptions within the field and how oppression and identity can emerge within the field. 

Course Objectives 

In this writing-intensive course, graduate students will develop a well-informed understanding of the methodology of ethnography. Students will develop a thorough understanding of the interactions between researchers and participants in the field, with a focus on the necessary ethics associated with ethnographic research. Students will examine skills and techniques for entering the field, submerging themselves within the field, and collecting data.  By taking this course, students will be exposed to a variety of ethnographic approaches to building rapport, techniques of unstructured and “go-along” interviews, positionality and reflexivity in the field, and thick description field notes. Students will apply what they have learned from the literature and develop an ethnographic research proposal as the final class project. This course is designed to be the prerequisite in a two-part ethnographic research series. Upon completion of this course, students will be eligible to take Ethnographic Fieldwork, the second and final course in the series

Ethnographic Fieldwork

Brief Description 

This graduate-level course explores the second in a two-part series. In this course, students will use the foundations from Principles of Ethnography, in practice, through fieldwork, by combining theory and practice. Students will collect and analyze data using techniques of feminist ethnography. Throughout the semester, students will submit various assignments that, in combination, will result in a final research article. 

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Students who have not taken Principles of Ethnography are ineligible to take this course (no exceptions). 

Course Objectives 

In this field-intensive course, students will develop skills in ethnographic fieldwork. Students will develop a thorough understanding of data collection in the field in practice, centering the key components of participant observation, building rapport, and field notes. Building from the prerequisite course Principles of Ethnography, students will use learned techniques for entering the field, submerging themselves within the field, and collecting data.  By taking this course, students will put into practice techniques of unstructured and “go-along” interviews, positionality and reflexivity in the field, and thick description field notes. Students will apply what they have learned from the literature in the field and bring their experiences back to the classroom to share with their peers. We will use our field notes to learn how to create theoretical memos that combine data with theory. Students will share their field notes with the class and learn techniques of grounded theory for coding and analyzing data. Students will develop a final ethnographic research paper that includes preliminary data, findings, and an analysis of their data.

Problems of the Black Community

Social Theory & Society

FAS Visiting Professorship Harvard University

SICSS-Howard/Mathematica Excellence in Computational Social Science Research Fund Award, 2024, 2022

Outstanding Teaching Award. College of Arts and Sciences, Howard University, 2023

Black Mothers' Responses to Systems of Oppression

Black Mothers' Responses to Systems of Oppression: Navigating Work, Family, and Self-Actualization; Chapter in "The Mother Wave: Matricentric Feminism as Theory, Activism, and Practice." 

The book argues that the category of mother is distinct from the category of woman, and that many of the problems mothers face—social, economic, political, cultural, psychological, and so forth—are specific to women’s role and identity as mothers.

Shame to Pride

Shame to Pride: A Natural Hair Journey From Childhood, the United States Air Force, to Academia; Chapter in "Women of Color and Hair Bias in the Work Environment"

In this chapter, the author discusses a journey of natural hair acceptance. As a child, she struggled with not understanding how to care for her hair and the desire to have straight hair. She shares the challenges of conforming to Eurocentric beauty standards in institutions that require uniformity, such as cheerleading and military service in the United States Air Force. These experiences led her to focus on natural hair in her graduate studies. She discusses the challenges of wearing natural hair in graduate school and how discussions of professionalism and hair left her feeling isolated yet energized. Ultimately, she shares her recent experience with embracing her natural hair as a researcher and professional. As an assistant professor at a prestigious HBCU, she has increasingly fallen in love with her and other women's natural hair. She teaches students about the CROWN Act and has continued her research on natural hair experiences. Today, she credits her newfound confidence to spaces and people that accept and celebrate Black beauty and natural hair.

Motherhood and Work

Motherhood and Work: Women Combining  Work and Childcare as a Patriarchal Response

In this paper, I describe racialized child-rearing techniques used by Black mothers to maintain work-family balance. Drawing on two years of participant observation, ethnography, and unstructured interviews in a Black, women-owned and operated business, I find that Black women adopt collective racialized conceptualizations of motherhood and responsibilities, that center competing ideological frames of motherhood. 

Contested Identities

Contested Identities: African Diaspora and Identity Making in a Hair Braiding Salon

Drawing on two years of ethnographic fieldwork in a hair-braiding salon located in the Las Vegas valley, where black West African immigrant women professionally braid black American women’s hair, I provide an empirical case that underlines how identity categories usually constructed as stable by sociocultural theorists are often internally contested within the communities that occupy them.

Public Talks and Lectures

“Global CROWNs Research Study.” Berkeley University. Sociology Department Colloquium. September 2023. N.Jenkins.

“Mothers of the Mecca Information Session.” 2022. Howard University Center for Women, Gender, and Global Leadership. Jenkins, N. and Muhammad, B.

“Analysis of Conversations around The CROWN Act on Social Media and News Platforms.” Jenkins, N., Smith, M., Tadimalla, Y. SICSS Howard Mathematica. June 2021.

“Black Community, Experience, & Joy in Las Vegas.” Young Executive Scholars. Hospitality & Tourism Program. University of Nevada, Las Vegas. May 2021.

“Do All Be All: How Black Women Do Work and Family Balance.” Workshop Urban Ethnography Project. Yale University. November 2019.

“Being an Ethnographer: Reflexivity and Insider/ Outsider Positionality” Research Presentation. Student of Color Presentations and Mixer. University of Nevada Las Vegas. April 2019.

“Discussing Nappily Ever After- Racialized Beauty Standards for Black Women in the U.S.” UNLV Sociology Club -Movies That Matter. March 2019.

“Introduction to Race and Ethnicity” Sociology 101, Professor Celine Ayala. University of Nevada Las Vegas. March 2019.

“Contested Identities: African Diaspora and Identity Making in a Hair Braiding Salon” Research Presentation. The University of Nevada Las Vegas. Brown Bag Lecture Series Spring 2018. April 2018.