Ira Wade (they/them & he/him) identifies as Southern, Black, queer, neurodivergent and non-binary. They have lived in the Deep South, the Mid-Atlantic, and most recently, the Pacific Northwest. They have worked in higher education as faculty and administration, nonprofit and government sectors.
As a lifelong learner, they hold a Doctorate in Education with a focus on educational activism in formal and non-formal education, a Masters of Arts in Urban Affairs with a focus on career decision making for LGBTQ+ students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as a Bachelor’s in Interpersonal and Public Communications with a minor in Political Science.
They are currently working on their PhD in Urban Studies focusing on Critical Geography in the context of queer of color and liminal ecologies, with a curiosity of exploring new economies, food sovereignty, and the reconceptualization of church and congregation in new world creation from a foundation of Sankofa and spatial manifestation of the queer imaginary.
They enjoy traveling, attending cultural events across a myriad of genres and artistic mediums, and using it to nourish their soul and integrating it into their approach to strategic planning, never-ending learning and knowledge sharing, as well as political education and capacity building with community. They also can’t keep succulents alive but continue to try (kinda).
Favorite Quote: “In not a single one of these little campaigns was I victorious. In other words, in each case, I personally failed, but I have lived to see the thesis upon which I was operating vindicated. And what I very often say is that I’ve lived to see my lost causes found.” ― Pauli Murray
Favorite Place in the Northwest: Haha, the hot dog stand in Cap Hill on 11th and Pine in Seattle.