Dr. Catherine Meeks
Dr. Catherine Meeks blends scholarly excellence with heartfelt activism, shaping her as a distinguished voice in socio-cultural studies and a beacon for community transformation. She spent 25 impactful years at Mercer University chairing the African American Studies Program and 9 years at Wesleyan College as the Clara Carter Acree Distinguished Professor of Socio-Cultural Studies. She is celebrated in both of these institutions for fostering a deep understanding of race, gender, and class among her students.
Dr. Meeks' educational journey, enriched by degrees from Pepperdine University, Atlanta University, and Emory University, reflects her dedication to the life of the mind through the intertwining of her scholarship with Jungian psychology, African and African American Women's Literature.
In her past role as the Founding Executive Director of the Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing, Dr. Meeks orchestrated spiritual retreats and workshops, engaging communities in the vital work of addressing oppression. Her literary contributions, include the reflective "The Night is Long but Light Comes in the Morning," and her memoir, "The Quilted Life, Reflections of A Sharecropper’s Daughter" which further underscore her commitment to racial healing and personal growth.
Dr. Meeks' profound community impact is recognized by the President Joseph R. Biden Lifetime Achievement and Service Award and her distinction as one of Georgia Trend Magazine's notable women. Her engaging blogs and podcasts extend her influence, providing ongoing wisdom and inspiration. With honorary doctorates from Virginia Theological Seminary, the Seminary of the Southwest, and Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University, Dr. Meeks continues to illuminate paths toward understanding and collective wellness.
Dr. Meeks’ expression of her commitment to wellness and freedom is captured in her current work as Founding Executive Director and Chief Midwife of the Turquoise and Lavender Institute for Transformation and Healing.
