About
Hello, I'm Javania Michelle Webb (she/her/hers).
Recently she earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies with an emphasis on Social Justice & Gender Studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her dissertation is titled, "Life Histories of BlackQueer Adults: Why and How They Support BlackQueer Youth." She has published multiple articles, spoken at several education-centered conferences, and is currently working on a landscape analysis of Black LGBTQ+ and foster youth organizations in the Midwestern part of the United States. Her research interests are Black Queerness, Social Justice, Women Studies, and Youth Empowerment. One of her aspirations is to change the conversation for Black Queer People, especially youth.
She is the founder of You Are Worthy, Incorporated, an organization committed to providing mentoring and leadership opportunities for BlackQueer and foster Youth. This organization provides group mentoring, one-on-one mentoring, leadership and advocacy trainings, and participants in community and youth participatory action research. Engaging in the community helps students, parents, and community members become and stay involved regardless of who they are serving. Javania wished these types of services were being offered for students when she was in high school and college to help with focusing on personal and educational goals.
Empowering Through Experience.
Dr. Javania’s passion is helping Black LGBTQ+ and foster youth ‘figure out and embrace their WORTH’. She has 20+ years of life experience in program development, mentoring, and planning events to help individuals with their self-care. Her motto is ‘Empowering Through Experience’ which has helped her in obtaining a wealth of knowledge to serve youth and adults.
In her years of professional experience, Dr. Javania has successfully developed, managed, and implemented programs for a range of family and youth development programs, which include serving as the Family and Student Mentor with Grace Hill Settlement House, a Substance Abuse Case Manager with Queen of Peace Center, and a Crisis Specialist with Chestnut Health Systems. Dr. Javania is a graduate of Southern Illinois University- Edwardsville with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology, Lindenwood University with a Master’s of Arts in Nonprofit Administration, and University of Missouri St. Louis with a doctorate in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies with an emphasis on Social Justice & Gender Studies.
Dr. Javania believes that it is imperative to provide examples of fulfillment and responsibility to our children; they are the future. She also volunteers her time to support, uplift, and advocate for LGBTQ+ and foster youth and young adults in the St. Louis area. Dr. Javania Michelle has 20+ years of life experience in mentoring and program development. In her spare time, she loves to hang out with her wife, dog child, travel, shop, and try different foods.
Current Project
Currently, Dr. Javania Michelle is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California Riverside. She’s the project manager for the Family Housing and Me Project working with Dr. Brandon A. Robinson. This project is a longitudinal study following LBGTQ youth ages 16-19 in the Inland Empire and South Texas about their Queer experiences with their nuclear family and other family members.
