Scholar Spotlight - Jaala Alston

Laidlaw Scholar Jaala Alston on the experiences of Black Americans in the rural South, and feeling unseen.
Scholar Spotlight - Jaala Alston
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Jaala Alston, a Laidlaw Scholar at Columbia University, on the experiences of Black Americans in the rural South, and feeling unseen.

Columbia Laidlaw Scholar Jaala Alston

My project is called Where We Been + Where We Going: An Economic History of Black American Life. It focuses on the stories and experiences of Black Americans in the rural South and how their experiences inform our understanding of intersectional oppression on the basis of race, class, and gender. It then attempted to connect interviewees' experiences to the broader themes that underlie radical thought traditions from notable Black Marxists and Black Radical Feminists. 

The work is rooted in understanding the material and practical impact of issues that still exist today and continue to plague Black people in the United States and abroad. 

Where did your passion for this research originate?

My passion for my research topic originated from feeling unseen. Not invisible, because I feel that terminology would excuse people not seeing my community or me, but rather from being visible and simply having people choose not to hear or see the plight of me and others like me. I was deeply interested in considering, understanding and illuminating the intersection of inequity and the structure of our economy or, even broader, our values and social priorities. Central to my own work is a desire to affirm the humanity that I do not believe many saw in me, my parents, my loved ones, or my people for centuries into the present moment. 

What is the most memorable moment from your Laidlaw experience?

The most memorable moment was when I began my first interview with a research subject. I took the time to explain what the research was for, how it would be used, and listen to their initial responses to knowing that someone felt their life mattered enough to be studied, and their story was informative enough to be recorded and handled with care. It gave me immediate confirmation that the work I was doing, no matter how new I was to it, was worthwhile. 

What is the biggest challenge you came across in your research and leadership journeys so far, and what did you learn from it?

My second year as a Laidlaw fellow was entirely virtual. Therefore, I had to learn how to interrogate my beliefs about a place I had never been, people I had never met, and things I thought I knew without being able to be physically confronted with a different reality. That summer taught me all the various dimensions of care that can be applied to research, and how to be self-aware while being from outside a community or a context. 

What does it mean for you to be a Laidlaw Scholar?

To me, being a Laidlaw Scholar means being both the student and the mentor, and I appreciate that deeply. This program gave me the opportunity to recognize my own strengths and contributions to others while challenging me to identify how I can grow. 

Angela Davis and Toni Morrison
Angela Davis and Toni Morrison

Which leaders inspire you the most and why?

Toni Morrison and Angela Davis come to mind because, above all else, I appreciate them having beliefs about the way the world should work but also the way it currently works. I appreciate their candor because I believe that honesty (no matter how risky) is first a gift we give to ourselves, and second a gift we give to the broader community that surrounds us. 

Describe a scene from the future you are striving to create.

I am striving to create a setting where I no longer feel guilty about boundary setting, resting, or exploring things simply because they bring me joy. I imagine a future filled with joy because I care for myself well, and I don’t feel burdened to compromise my own well-being for the comfort of others. 



Quick-fire Questions

📺 Currently binging: Twin Peaks

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🎵 My quarantine anthem: Treat People With Kindness by Harry Styles 

📚 My top book recommendation: The Color Purple by Alice Walker

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🎧 Podcast obsession: S-Town

S-Town - Wikipedia

🌈 Something that made me feel joy recently: My two cousins’ graduated high school 

❤️ A cause I care about: I work with this nonprofit organization to mentor and support young women of color, and they would benefit greatly from donations or partnerships. Also, please donate to this GoFundMe if you can! 


Jaala is a Laidlaw Undergraduate Leadership and Research Scholar at Columbia University. Become a Laidlaw Scholar to conduct a research project of your choice, develop your leadership skills, and join a global community of changemakers from world-leading universities.

Learn more about the Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Scholarship.

🔦 Discover more Scholar Spotlights: 

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  • Lorenzo Molinari (UCL) on advancing learning tools and practices for autistic adolescents, breaking stigmas, and calling for change.
  • Farida Augustine (University of Leeds) on tackling historical omissions by telling the stories of West Africans during the French Internal Resistance. 
  • Amy Campbell (University of Durham) on illiberal democracy, the climate crisis, and thanking female leaders who are changing the fabric of tackling inequality.

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