Mikki Kendall

Mikki Kendall is the critically acclaimed author of the popular non-fiction book Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot. Kendall is a sought-after public speaker, lecturer, and writer whose writings center on race and social justice issues central to feminism and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1980, Mikki Kendall attended Mount Holyoke College where she completed her undergraduate degree in history. While at Mount Holyoke, Kendall was an active participant in theatre and dance and was heavily involved with the campus Center for Women and Gender. After graduating, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in marketing and communications.

Following a foray into the corporate world, Mikki Kendall returned to her passion – writing and advocacy. She began by writing for various websites which led to her writing a number of articles for The Guardian, HuffPost, and The Washington Post.

It was in 2017, however, when Kendall published her first book, Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot. The book is an exploration of the issues faced by modern feminism today, and the ways that corporate feminism often fails to recognize the complex and interrelated struggles of race, gender, and class. Through a critical retrospective, Kendall unpacks how essentialized notions of feminine identity often exclude women of color and present a myopic view of what society deems ‘feminine’.

In Hood Feminism, Kendall discusses the ways in which corporate feminism has failed Black women in particular by ignoring issues such as poverty, violence against marginalized communities, and access to reproductive health care. Building on this foundational argument, she explains how the anti-racism activism of the Black Lives Matter movement has been able to shine a light on issues pertaining to systemic racism and police brutality.

Mikki Kendall has been celebrated for her ability to bridge the gap of understanding between different feminism ideologies, leading feminists such as Angela Davis, bell hooks, and Roxanne Gay to comment favorably on her work. In addition to her writing, Kendall has been a popular speaker and lecturer, appearing at venues such as Princeton University and Columbia University. She is an admitted social media fan who is actively engaged on Twitter, where she has gathered over a million followers.

In her forthcoming book, The Wrong Kind of strong, Kendall is bringing her signature intersectional feminist lens to bear on the multifaceted realities of contemporary femininity. With it, she hopes to bring further awareness to the inherent complexities of 21st-century feminism and the unique challenges faced by women of color.

Mikki Kendall is an innovative voice in the realm of feminism and social justice. Her work is vital in reminding us that true and lasting change demands a sustained effort to advocate for the rights and well-being of all marginalized groups. Her message is one of inclusion, empathy, and understanding which is much needed as we continue to grapple with the inequities of our social system.