Biography

Dr. Ralina L. Joseph is Vice Provost of Inclusive Excellence and Professor of African American Studies at UCLA. Her career spans over two decades of advancing inclusive excellence in higher education. At the University of Washington, she served as Professor of Communication and Associate Dean of Equity & Justice, leading initiatives for over 17,000 graduate students. She founded the Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity (CCDE), known for programs like “Interrupting Privilege,” which fosters transformative conversations on race and power.

Dr. Joseph is the author of four books, including Racial Exhaustion: How to Move through Racism in the Wake of DEI (NYU Press, 2025). Her research focuses on the intersectional nuances of racialized communication, Black representation, multiracial identity, and women of color feminism. She is widely recognized for her concept of “strategic ambiguity” in postracial discourse. A celebrated mentor and public scholar, Dr. Joseph has received numerous awards and is a frequent speaker nationwide. She is also a mother and community advocate dedicated to using dialogue as a tool for justice.