
storytelling. oral history.
black folx. across generations.
intimate stories. story circles. generativity (the
passing down of wisdom).
my research
My research is centered on the power of voice, generativity (the passing down of wisdom) through storytelling, and the impacts of stories heard, told, and silenced on our identities, relationships, and health/well-being. My dissertation research focused on Black intergenerational stories [told, heard, silenced] about love [romantic, community, and self-love] and the impacts of those stories throughout the life course.
Longer term, I wish to create sustainable community, human-centered projects, that creates physical spaces for story exchange and to collaboratively explore ways that these stories can bring about individual, relational, and social change.
How Does My Research Translate to Non-Academic Spaces?
I believe that any team, institution or organization is made stronger when we prioritize policies, strategies and initiatives that focuses on the holistic individual. Each of us has a story and these stories impact how we show up as leaders, employees, students, parents, and patrons. By failing to hold space that centralizes voices and lived experiences, entities suffer. My work allows me to help teams, institutions, and organizations create space. Furthermore, obtaining a PhD has strengthened my resiliency and equips me with even greater transferable skills, such as applying various analytical tools to gather and interpret data, making decisions based on evidence, sharing data in a compelling, narrative-based way, and communicating complex concepts clearly.
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Denson, S. (2021). It doesn’t have to protest: A review of Black or right: Anti/racist campus rhetorics. Writers: Craft and Context (2) 2, 36-41.
scholarly projects

Selected Guest Instructor
Spotlight! Guest Instructor Series |
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Baltimore, Maryland (Spring 2022): "Retrospective Storytelling, Meaning-Making, and Generativity (the passing down of wisdom: Black Intergenerational Stories About Love"
Selected Speaker
Dresher Center for the Humanities
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Baltimore, Maryland (Fall 2021):
"Retrospective Storytelling, Meaning-Making and Generativity (The Passing Down of Wisdom): Black Intergenerational Stories About Love"


Graduate Student Representative + Fellow
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Baltimore Field School |
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Baltimore, Maryland (Spring/Summer 2021)
Planner + Graphic Designer
Language, Literacy, and Culture Doctoral Program Cedric Herring Symposium | University of Maryland Baltimore County
Baltimore, Maryland (Spring 2021): "Critical Conversations: An Intersectional Perspective to Ignite Social Change"

Organizer + Author
The Shriver Center |
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Baltimore, Maryland (Spring 2020): Organized a collaborative, multilayered dialogic process with Center staff and community stakeholders to author its anti-racism statement housed on the website's homepage. Presented statement to University President, Dr. Freeman Hrabowsk,i and it was used to facilitate community and campus conversations.
Selected Presenter
Black Communities Conference |
UNC-Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, Durham, North Carolina (Fall 2019): {Short Talk} "Creating Spaces for Empowering Black Narratives"
Organizer + Presenter
National Communication Association 105th Annual Convention |
Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland (Fall 2019): Interpersonal Communication Division, Panel: "Happily Even After: Surviving Relational Dissolution"
Co-Planner + Graphic Designer
Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media Doctoral Program Symposium |
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina (Spring 2019): "Dialog 2.0: Social Movements, Online Communication + Transformation"

consulting projects
In my spare time, I am a communication consultant. I have worked with a variety of influencers, community organizations and businesses, leading special projects, such as website and logo design, digital storytelling, and content curation, as well as facilitating communication-based workshops. Below are just a few of those collaborations:
Storytelling and Marketing Clients
Mindful Performance Center
Mission Fit

Top Tier Columbia
Purpose Personal Training
Faciliatated Public Speaking Workshops

Mayor's Office of Homeless Services
City of Baltimore
Website Design
