about dr. sarah written in white cursive font over image of dr. sarah l webb sitting and facilitating a roundtable for MTV on colorism and racism

Dr. Sarah L. Webb’s Speaker Bio and About Section

dr. sarah l. webb i chose to break the silence in order to break the cycle. panoramic view of dr. webb leaning against a wall of graffiti that says Los Angeles. she's wearing wide leg jeans and an open printed shirt with a black turtleneck. her air is in an afro.

Dr. Sarah L. Webb launched the global initiative Colorism Healing in 2013 to raise awareness and foster individual and collective healing through creative and critical work.

Dr. Webb’s myriad efforts to address colorism include designing college courses, hosting an international writing contest, publishing books, teaching workshops, and mentoring students across the world from Sacramento, California to Sydney, Australia.

Because of her work and expertise on colorism, Dr. Webb has written and contributed to several academic and non-academic articles, presented at numerous conferences, and been featured on regional NPR stations, Fox Soul TV, the Illinois Times, Forbes.com, The Tavis Smiley Radio Show, MTV, and the TEDx stage.

One of Dr. Webb’s favorite pastimes is providing edutainment on social media, and her content creation landed her among the first 100 members accepted into LinkedIn’s Creator Accelerator Program.

Dr. Sarah L. Webb launched the global initiative Colorism Healing in 2013 to raise awareness and foster individual and collective healing through creative and critical work. Dr. Webb’s myriad efforts to address colorism include designing college courses, hosting an international writing contest, publishing books, teaching workshops, and mentoring students across the world from Sacramento, California to Sydney, Australia. Because of her work and expertise on colorism, Dr. Webb has written and contributed to several academic and non-academic articles, presented at numerous conferences, and been featured on regional NPR stations, Fox Soul TV, the Illinois Times, Forbes.com, The Tavis Smiley Radio Show, MTV, and the TEDx stage. One of Dr. Webb’s favorite pastimes is providing edutainment on social media, and her content creation landed her among the first 100 members accepted into LinkedIn’s Creator Accelerator Program. dr. sarah l webb speaker bio photo standing and leaning on a door jamb with modern painting behind her. she's wearing slim denim, a pale pink blazer and pale yellow top. her hair is in an afro

She has previously taught high school as well. In addition to teaching, Dr. Webb has managed online content for local news and TV stations, and done freelance writing and editing for blogs, small businesses, and local magazines.

Dr. Webb was recently an English Professor in the MidWest before jumping off the tenure track to blaze her own trail.

Hire Dr. Sarah

Mission

1) Raise Critical Awareness About Colorism as a Global Issue.

2) Facilitate Healing and Social Change.

My Approach to Healing Has 3 Core Pillars:

  • Individual healing includes personal mental health and reprogramming personal bias.
  • Collective healing involves repairing relationships between individuals and among groups of people.
  • Systemic healing entails structural changes throughout all sectors of society.

My intention is that the community feels informed and affirmed.

Values

Be Brave. I choose to consistently show up and do the work, even when it’s risky or scary.

Be of Service. I am here to help the people.

Be Smart. I aim to provide distilled research and deeper insight into the complexity of colorism.

Be Sarah. I intend to live and speak with integrity, honesty, sincerity, and authenticity.

Be in Love. Love is the source of who I am and the heart of all I do.

See Dr. Sarah’s Speaking in Action

TEDx Talk 2021
MTV Roundtable 2023
Live Stream 2023

Legacy Projects

collage of diverse face of writers and authors from dr. sarah webb's international colorism healing writing contests
book covers for the six colorism healing writing contest anthologies. six books representing seven writing contests from twenty fourteen through twenty twenty two
images of people at the opening night of the reflections on colorism art exhibit at u n c w cab gallery in twenty nineteen. dr. sarah l webb standing and smiling next to an installation with people milling around

Abridged Resume

Public Speaking & Media Appearances

  • NASCAR Webinar (Oct 9 2023)
  • MTV’s Love & Hop Hop ATL Roundtable on Racism & Colorism (Sep 2023)
  • WA State DOD Workshop (July 26, 2023)
  • WA State Virtual DEI Conference (June 21, 2023)
  • University of the Pacific. Keynote on Colorism for Women’s History Month (3/2/2023)
  • LISC – Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Virtual Keynote on Colorism in the Workplace (2/28/2023)
  • The Lurie Daniel Favors Show Sirius XM. Guest Expert on Colorism. (2/27/2023)
  • Women of Color Unite. Special Guest Expert for “Colorism in Hollywood” event. (2/16/2023)
  • Areva Martin in Real Time . Guest Expert on Colorism. (2/15/2023)
  • The Tavis Smiley Show KBLA 1580 AM. Guest Expert on Colorism. (1/18/2023)
  • The Lurie Daniel Favors Show SiriusXM. Guest Expert on Colorism (1/4/2023)
  • Paramount Inclusion Week. Guest Expert on Colorism. (10/28/2022)
  • LinkedIn Creator Accelerator Program Member #first100 (2022)
  • Forbes Interview. Expert Spotlight on Colorism. (1/28/22)
  • Black News Tonight w/ Marc Lamont Hill. Guest Expert on Colorism. (2/4/2022)
  • Hispanic National Bar Association. Guest Expert for Plenary Panel at National Convention. (Sep 8, 2022)
  • ISS Facility Services. Virtual Keynote on Colorism. (2/23/2022)
  • Tempe Union High School District. Webinar on Colorism. (2/2/2022)
  • AHEAD Women’s Retreat. Workshop on Colorism Healing. (11/05/2021)
  • Chime. Webinar on Colorism (11/01/2021)
  • University of Phoenix. Webinar on Colorism in the Workplace (7/15/21)
  • University of Phoenix. Workshop on Colorism Healing (7/14/21)
  • Mixed Bloom Room. Workshop on Colorism Healing (multiple dates)
  • EOTO- Each One Teach One Berlin Germany. Workshop on Colorism Healing (7/6/21)
  • EOTO- Each One Teach One Berlin Germany. Workshop on Colorism Healing (5/25/21)
  • University of Phoenix. Webinar on Colorism (5/5/21)
  • HUR Voices SiriusXM 141 Beauty Not Boundaries. Guest Expert on Colorism (4/17, 4/24, 5/1)
  • TEDx UofISpringfield (3/20/21)
  • The Rahm Foundation. Featureed Expert on Colorism (2/27/21)
  • Washington University in St. Louis. Webinar on Colorism (2/19/2021)
  • The Rahm Foundation Panel. Guest Expert on Colorism (2/6/2021)
  • University of Texas at Arlington. Virtual Keynote on Colorism (2/3/21)
  • Fox Soul’s The Tammi Mac Late Show. Guest Expert on Colorism
  • Balanced Black Girl Podcast. Guest Expert on Colorism (9/29/2020)
  • South Asian Heritage Month UK, Ruthless Panel. Guest Expert on Colorism (7/28/2020)
  • Top of Mind, SiriusXM 143, BYU NPR (7/14/2020)
  • Journey to Lovely Podcast. Guest Expert on Colorism (7/2020)
  • No Sugar No Cream online magazine. Featured Expert Interview on Colorism.
  • MidWest Mixed. Virtual Workshop on Colorism (11/4/2020)
  • Indiana University. Guest Lecture on Diversity and Oppression in the Academy. (11/12/2020)
  • MoB Ballet Symposium. Guest Expert on Colorism (8/22/2020)
  • Vachel Lindsay Association. Workshop on Colorism Healing (2/17/2019)
  • McKinley High School. Workshop on Colorism Healing (3/2018)
  • Lee High School. Workshop on Colorism Healing (3/2018)
  • Baton Rouge Community College. Workshop on Colorism Healing. (3/2018)
  • Louisiana State University. Keynote on Colorism Healing. (2/6/2018)
  • Shades of Her Screening Panel by RSG Media. Guest Expert on Colorism. (10/8/2017)
  • National Association of Social Workers Regional Conference. Workshop on Colorism (8/11/2017)
  • Humes Preparatory Academy. Professional Development Training on Colorism (1/4/2016)
  • Afternoon Shift, WBEZ 91.5 Chicago NPR. Guest Expert on Colorism (6/1/2015)
  • KCEP 88.1 in Las Vegas
  • Time for an Awakening
  • Storytelling with Seth 2018 episode and 2020 episode.
  • Rejoicing Hope Magazine Episode 34

Conference Presentations

  • “A Salve for the Soul: Healing from the Cumulative Trauma of Colorism.” 1st International Conference on Dermal Sciences at The University of Faisalabad, Pakistan. 20 November 2021. Virutal.
  • “The Potential of Collective Truth-Telling Among Women of Color in an International Writing Contest.” Midwest Mixed Conference Beyond the Bounds. 6 August 2021. Virtual.
  • “An ‘Excellent’ Excuse for Cultural Hegemony.” Remote conference for Making Excellence Inclusive Conference, Eastern Illinois University, 16 Oct 2020.
  • Brown, S., Webb, S. L., Adams, A., & Jones, A. “Reflections on Colorism Panel.” College Art Association, Chicago, IL, 12 Feb 2020.
  • “Maud Martha in the Mirror: Colorism Healing in the Poetic Prose of Gwendolyn Brooks.” Midwest Modern Langauge Association, Chicago, IL, 15 Nov 2019.
  • “What Annalise Keating Taught Me About the Job and the Work.” Conference on Community Writing, Philadelphia, PA, 18 Oct 2019.
  • “The Potential of Collective Truth-Telling Among Women of Color in an International Writing Contest.” Midwestern Conference on Literature, Language, and Media, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL, 12 Apr 2019.
  • Crutchfield, J. M, & Webb, S. L. “How colorist micro-aggressions have eluded social work.” National Association of Social Workers National Conference, Biloxi, MS, 30 Mar 2017.
  • “Tweetin & testifyin: Social media use as a culturally specific literacy.” Curriculum Camp Graduate Conference, Baton Rouge, LA, 10 Feb 2017.
  • Webb, S. L., Crutchfield, J. M., & Fisher, A. “Colorism in police killings of unarmed African-Americans.” Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA, 11 Nov 2016.
  • “Shakespeare in the classroom and persistent stereotypes about black women.” National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention, Atlanta, GA, 4 Nov 2016.
  • Webb, S. L., & Crutchfield, J. “Fulfilling the ethical standard of cultural competence by understanding colorism.” Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO, 17 Oct 2015.
  • Nielsen ratings vs. black Twitter: The potential and limits of social media as a tool for increasing the influence minority fans have on network television programming.” Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association Conference, New Orleans, LA, 3 Apr 2015. Webb, S. L.
  • “About Facebook: Reviewing black women’s subjectivity on social media.” Mardi Gras Conference, LSU English Graduate Student Association, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 12 Feb 2015.

Publications