Roslyn M. Satchel is a womanist scholar activist in the Pan-African Studies tradition who examines human rights and civic engagement at the intersections of social movements, race, SES, religion, gender, ability, access, media, history, and law. Her reputation distinguishes her as one of the most influential keynote speakers, writers, and thought leaders of this generation.
Dr. Satchel is a tenured full professor in the School of Communication and Media at Kennesaw State University, where she serves as the inaugural lead researcher for the Radow Institute for Social Equity. In August 2024, Dr. Satchel also became the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the New Georgia Project and the New Georgia Project Action Fund. At Harvard, Dr. Satchel serves as a faculty associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society and co-leads the Race-Tech-Media working group.
Teaching law, ethics, and communication courses while also working extensively as a community organizer for 30+ years, Dr. Satchel’s global-local scholar activism work has involved collaborations in South Africa, the Caribbean, Thailand, India, Ghana, Kenya, and throughout the U.S. Her long repertoire of accomplishments/awards includes having CNN, C-SPAN, Newsweek, Ebony, and many other global media outlets feature her work/commentary. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and an Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Dr. Satchel previously served as an endowed tenured professor at Pepperdine University, the Executive Director of the National Center for Human Rights Education, and a participant action researcher with several grassroots organizations.
Her 2017 book, What Movies Teach about Race: Exceptionalism, Erasure and Entitlement, brings Dr. Satchel’s media, legal, and religion background together to examine political economy and representational harm in the most influential films of all time. Her forthcoming book, Technology and Our Critical Race: Access, Opportunity, and Surveillance, likewise scrutinizes issues of ethics in relation to algorithmic bias, artificial intelligence, privacy, and transnational monopolies. Dr. Satchel earned degrees from Louisiana State (PhD), Emory (JD and MDiv), and Howard (BA) universities. Her critical media literacy and critical discourse studies scholarship analyzes the cultural intersections of legal, media, and religious discourse with a particular interest in race, gender, class, ability, age, ethnicity, status, sexual orientation, religion, and citizenship concerns.
ANNOUNCEMENT (August 2024):
New Georgia Project and New Georgia Project Action Fund Welcome Dr. Roslyn Satchel as CEO
(Atlanta, GA) - New Georgia Project (NGP) and New Georgia Project Action Fund (NGPAF) are thrilled to announce Rev. Dr. Roslyn Satchel as the organizations’ new CEO.
Dr. Satchel’s years of experience as a community organizer, advocate, interfaith coalition leader and non-profit executive will strengthen NGP/AF’s ongoing work to mobilize the New Georgia Majority of Black and young Georgians and other historically marginalized communities.
“I’m honored to step into this role and continue building power with Black, young, and other left out and underestimated communities--a commitment to which I’ve dedicated my career,” said Dr. Satchel. “This is a critical election year for racial justice, economic justice, healthcare access, reproductive freedom, and more. I’m energized and confident in Georgia voters’ power to shape our future.”
Dr. Satchel’s work at the intersections of race, culture, religion and politics–from teaching law and ethics to fighting for juvenile justice in Atlanta–is always centered on advancing justice for underrepresented groups.
“Rev. Dr. Satchel is one of the country’s leading scholars on matters of race, media, and public policy as it relates to Black and Brown people across the U.S. and throughout the African diaspora,” said NGP Board Chair and NGPAF Treasurer Francys Johnson. “Her intricate understanding of the complex issues unfolding right now in politics, academia, and current events puts her in a unique position to strategically help protect Georgia voters who have seen countless attempts to suppress their votes and who, sometimes, are rightfully cynical with a political process that has left them out. Dr. Satchel cares about our democracy and the future of our state and our country. Her work with New Georgia Project will, no doubt, reflect her unwavering passion for people-powered movements.”
Georgia remains a key swing state in the 2024 election and the NGP and NGPAF teams are already working hard to knock millions of doors, recruit poll workers, and help register 50,000 Georgians to vote – especially among Black communities and communities who have been underestimated and excluded from the political process.
“Dr. Satchel brings a unique and powerful perspective to this role; she seamlessly bridges academia and activism, and she’s got that ‘It Factor’ that motivates people to action,” said Dr. Erin L. Ryan, chair of Dr. Satchel’s department during her time at the Kennesaw State University School of Communication and Media. “Community activism is a critical force in shaping political outcomes that ensure diverse voices are heard and represented, and Roslyn engages and mobilizes people unlike anyone I’ve encountered before.”
“She understands how to build coalitions, mobilize support, message strategically, and inspire action,” said Dr. Melina Abdullah, Black Lives Matter Grassroots. “In research, interfaith practices, and healing justice efforts, Roslyn’s citizen journalism and media relations skills prove she understands community power building at a deep level.”
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WHAT FOLKS SAY ABOUT DR. ROZ…
“Dr. Satchel is a visionary, courageous, and innovative thought leader, organizer, and strategist. She works collaboratively to mobilize people of diverse backgrounds to achieve just outcomes and transformative results. It was my privilege to work with Dr. Satchel in Los Angeles to champion the needs of victims of violence. With her insights and labor of love, we obtained necessary resources and brought together various community leaders to promote safety, restoration, and liberation.”
-Dr. Thema Bryant, Bestselling Author of Homecoming: Overcome Fear and Trauma to Reclaim Your Whole Authentic Self, 2023 President of the American Psychological Association
“Roslyn Satchel is a womanist community organizer, ordained minister, and activist scholar grounded in the Black church and community, global grassroots activism, and traditions of our historic freedom fighters. She understands how to build coalitions, mobilize support, message strategically, and inspire action. In research, interfaith practices, and healing justice efforts, Roslyn’s citizen journalism and media relations skills prove she understands community power building at a deep level. Since 2013, her work behind the scenes helped us build the original chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement (BLMLA). As Black Lives Matter Grassroots grows (now at 39 chapters nationally), Dr. Satchel has played a vital role in onboarding new chapters and leaders, leading political education sessions that ground them in the fundamentals of womanist leadership which forms the basis of our organizing."
- Dr. Melina Abdullah, Black Lives Matter Grassroots and Vice Presidential Candidate with Dr. Cornel West in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Elections
“The work Roslyn has done in Georgia already to address child sex trafficking, ensure compliance with best practices, and develop rehabilitative alternatives to detention has saved lives. I am excited to see how else she contributes to our state in her new role.”
- Nina Hickson, Chief of Staff, WSSC Water and Retired City Attorney for the City of Atlanta
