MSW, PhD candidate

Autumn Asher BlackDeer is a queer decolonial scholar from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Nation whose work seeks to illuminate the impact of structural violence on American Indian and Alaska Native communities. BlackDeer centers Indigenous voices throughout her research by using quantitative approaches and big data as tools for responsible storytelling.

Her dissertation investigates manifestations of structural violence through Alaska Native mothers’ experiences of interpersonal violence, including family, partner, and community levels of violence, in addition to mental health, substance use, and maternal-child health outcomes. Autumn is a strong proponent for American Indian higher education, an advocate for survivors of sexual violence, and is committed to decolonizing the academy and achieving equity across Indian Country.