Meet Leila
Board Member
Meet Leila K. Blackbird
A historian and sociolegal scholar whose work examines the long-term impacts of slavery, settler colonialism, and state violence in the Gulf South. A proud New Orleanian of Creole and Indigenous descent, she brings a deep commitment to historical justice, community-centered scholarship, and human rights.
Dr. Blackbird is currently the Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow of History at Brown University and an affiliate of the John Carter Brown Library and the Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, and finally a Board member of Connection-Crew. She has held research and leadership roles at institutions including Johns Hopkins University, the University of Chicago, and multiple Gulf South and Indigenous studies centers.
Her award-winning research has been published in leading journals and academic volumes, and she teaches on topics including racial justice, authoritarianism, Indigeneity, and the legacies of violence. Through her scholarship and public engagement, Dr. Blackbird works to advance equity, truth-telling, and healing—values that align deeply with Connection Crew’s mission to support resilience and community empowerment.
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Meet the founder behind Connection Crew.