E. Kehinde Thurman writes to, and for, Black girls and women. Born and raised in Chicago, IL (#SouthSide), the first-generation graduate and high school dropout took her three babies to college with her and grabbed a B.A. in Philosophy and Women and Gender Studies from Illinois State University. She completed her graduate coursework in their department of Politics and Government.

From 9-5, she writes grants for non-profits whose missions align with her personal passion to eradicate violence against Black girls and women. Having survived childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence, the former teenage mother is discovering and exploring what thriving looks like and how to help her sisters get there with her.

After business hours, you can find Kehinde writing her memoir and filming videos on all things Black girls and women from surviving interpersonal violence and her #YearOfReadingBlackWomen to pop culture and her latest round of retail therapy. Or her latest round of actual therapy. Rumor has it there’s also a novel in the works.

In addition to previously managing grants and foundation relations for two of the most prominent national women’s rights and policy organizations, Kehinde has also served as Director at YWCA McLean County where she was responsible for the fiscal and programmatic oversight of the Stepping Stones sexual assault program. Prior to joining YWCA McLean County, Kehinde served as Regional Campaign Coordinator for People Over Politics (American Civil Liberties Union), for the North Florida region, where she helped secure the passage of two state Constitutional redistricting amendments.

Inspired by the works of Black feminist writers and theorists before her, Kehinde wants to bring awareness to, and encourage dialogue about, issues faced by Black girls and women. You can catch her posting selfies on Instagram or engaging with some pretty cool folks on Facebook. Books, tea and fuzzy socks are the way to her heart.

TLDR: Kehinde Thurman is a grant writing beast, survivor and momma of three from the South Side of Chicago. She be writing love letters to Black girls and women. And thriving.

Cite a Sista™

Thurman E. (2014) From Tre Styles to Trayvon Martin. In: Evans-Winters V.E., Bethune M.C. (eds) (Re)Teaching Trayvon. Youth, Media, & Culture Series. SensePublishers, Rotterdam.

Thurman E. (2020) Bell, Black Girls are Healing and it is Glorious. In: Stenberg, Shari J., and Charlotte Hogg. Persuasive Acts: Women’s Rhetorics in the Twenty-First Century. Pittsburgh, Pa.: University of Pittsburgh Press.

^oh that? That’s just my work included in a text with some of the very folks who helped shape my own theory and praxis and some others who are just downright badass. Yup, my work right alongside Kimberlé Crenshaw, Melissa Harris-Perry, Rep. Maxine Waters, Edwidge Danticat, Justice Sotomayor, Tarana Burke and Alicia Garza.

Hill Collins, Patricia , and Sirma Blige. Intersectionality . Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, 2020.

^and this? Well that’s the time the (pronounced thee) Patricia Hill Collins cited my work. That make us play cousins.