Experiences of Colorism Among Black Women and Girls
Saturday, October 3rd
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM EST
Caitlin M. Mercier, Ph.D.
Dr. Caitlin M. Mercier is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Illinois State University whose work illuminates how sociocultural belief systems shape the mental health of Black women. With over nine years of experience studying racialized stigma, her scholarship has centered colorism as a form of gendered racial stigma with current projects identifying risk and protective factors that influence psychological well-being. She brings her research into the classroom to cultivate critical consciousness and inspire anticolorist action. Dr. Mercier’s contributions have been recognized through multiple honors, including the Barbara A. Kirk Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Research and the Teaching Initiative Award.
Antoinette M. Landor, Ph.D.
A
ssociate Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Missouri
Dr. Antoinette M. Landor is an award-winning Associate Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at the University of Missouri and Chair of the 2027 National Conference for the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). She earned her PhD from the University of Georgia and completed an NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.
An internationally recognized scholar whose work bridges research, practice, and public engagement, she examines how colorism and racism shape relationships, body image, health, and well-being across the life course among Black women, adolescents, young adults, and families in the United States and internationally, including South Africa and Kenya. Her work appears in leading journals, including Perspectives on Psychological Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), and Body Image, and she is the author of a Cambridge University Press book. Her scholarship has been recognized with the University of Missouri System President's Award for Early Career Excellence, the William T. Kemper Award for Teaching Excellence, the University of Missouri's highest teaching honor, and a recent Psychoneuroendocrinology Editor's Choice Award.
A sought-after speaker, Dr. Landor has delivered invited presentations for academic, professional, and corporate audiences in the United States and abroad, including the Dove® Corporation and the Oklahoma Psychological Association. Her research has been featured by NBCLX, EBONY, Well+Good, and other national and international media outlets, bringing evidence-based insights to conversations on colorism and its implications for relationships, health, and well-being. Beyond her academic work, Dr. Landor is a proud and active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, where she has dedicated more than 20 years to scholarship, leadership, and community service.
Gina Sissoko, Ph.D.
Gina Sissoko, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and NIMH T32 Postdoctoral Fellow at the Yale School of Public Health. Her research examines how colorism, appearance-based social experiences, and gendered racism shape Black girls’ mental and sexual health. Her work uses culturally grounded and community-engaged approaches to identify pathways of risk and resilience and inform interventions that promote the health and well-being of Black girls.