Abiola Farinde
Biography
Dr. Abiola Farinde-Wu is an associate professor of urban education and the chair of the Leadership in Education Department at the University of Massachusetts Boston. In this position she humbly teaches doctoral students in the heartwork of urban education leadership and policy studies. As a Black, immigrant woman from the continent of Africa and a former high school English teacher from Texas, her scholarly work is rooted in her past-present- and future-self.
Area of Expertise
- Urban Education
- Qualitative Inquiry
- Teacher Diversity
- Policy and Practice
Degrees
Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC
M.A. in Administration, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX
B.A. in English, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Additional Information
Always searching, Dr. Farinde-Wu is curious about the experiences of teachers and students of color. She is interested in policy and practice research questions lying at the nexus of the school experiences of students of color and their educational and life outcomes. Highlighting how racial, social, and cultural issues impact equitable educational opportunities and treatment of marginalized groups, she draws from critical theories, such as Black feminism and intersectionality to interrogate education policies, pedagogies, structures, and practices in urban schools, communities, and contexts. Methodologically, she is a Black indigenous qualitative researcher who engages in three intersectional lines of inquiry: (1) the educational experiences and outcomes of students of color, (2) diversifying the U.S. teacher workforce with emphasis on Black women educators, (3) and the preparation of educators for diverse student populations. She has authored and co-authored numerous studies published in journals, such as Urban Education, Urban Review, Theory into Practice, and Teachers College Record. Additionally, she is the coeditor of Black Female Teachers: Diversifying the United States’ Teacher Workforce (Emerald, 2017), and Mentoring While White: Culturally Responsive Practices for Sustaining the Lives of Black College Students (Lexington Books, 2022).
Dr. Farinde-Wu is a recipient of the Early Career Award from AERA (Division-K). Her professional activities include serving as an editorial board member for the American Educational Research Journal (AERJ) and Educational Researcher as well as the book editor for Urban Education. She can be reached at abiola.farinde@umb.edu.