PhD student Jamillah R. Gabriel will present her research at the Association of College & Research Libraries Conference (ACRL 2021), which will be held virtually from April 13-16. The theme of this year's conference is "Ascending into an Open Future."
In her presentation, "The Criticalness of LIS: Incorporating Critical Theory, Pedagogy, and Action in LIS Research, Teaching, and Practice," Gabriel will discuss the importance of using these critical components holistically within academia to "highlight intersectionality within LIS; acknowledge the contributions of marginalized knowledge production and ways of knowing; and strengthen and enhance LIS research, teaching, and practice." In particular, she will examine how criticality is vital to LIS scholarship and the dismantling of oppressive structures in librarianship and information systems.
Gabriel's research focuses on issues at the nexus of information and race and interrogates how these issues impact Black people and communities. She earned her MLIS from San Jose State University and also holds an MA in museum studies from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.