Aminah Pilgrim

Aminah Fernandes Pilgrim is a mother, artist, author, community organizer, and award-winning educator. She joined Berklee's Liberal Arts and Sciences Department in 2020, teaching African American Women’s History and Hip-Hop History and Context. Her areas of research include late 19th- and 20th-century African American history, African American women’s history, African diaspora studies, Cabo Verdean studies, critical education research, and hip-hop studies. She has contributed to public history initiatives such as the Providence Black Studies Freedom School and the City of Brockton Community Black History Course. Her community organizing and advocacy focuses on children, youth/gang violence, antiracist education, the school-to-prison pipeline, immigrant transitions, and women’s empowerment. She is an advocate of teaching using civic engagement and has empowered many to make a difference in this field. She is the founder of HipHop Initiative (2004), cofounder of Sabura Youth Programs (2013), and cofounder of Poderoza, an international conference on Cabo Verdean women (2016). Since 2005, she has led critical conversations and trainings in K–12 schools and colleges on topics such as diversity and equity, Cabo Verdean history and culture, and social justice. She is a frequently solicited speaker, trusted advisor, and a well-known leader in the region.