Tonya Kneff-Chang, Ph.D, is a critical and interdisciplinary historian and public scholar. She examines stories of resistance in the shadows of history to help us understand the past, make sense of the present, and ultimately, illuminate paths toward liberation and justice. Integrating critical historical methodologies and critical race and social theories, her research focuses on racialized violence, collective resistance, and the transformative power of education. In addition, her collaborative public engagement projects include MVisible Voices, an intergenerational podcast series, and Don’t Leave Us Behind, a documentary about literacy and reading policy in Michigan.

As a postdoctoral research fellow at the CREATE Center (Community-Based Research on Equity, Activism, and Transformative Education), Dr. Kneff-Chang is part of the School Shuttering and Equitable Educational Access Study (SEEAS). She also served as the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, & Justice (DEIAJ) Instructional Lead at the University of Michigan Medical School where she co-developed and co-taught the History of Race and Racism in Medicine course for medical students. She also teaches a similar course for faculty and staff through the Office of Health Equity and Inclusion (OHEI).