Congratulations to the seventh cohort of Columbia Community Scholars! The Columbia Community Scholars Program was developed to enable independent scholars to pursue their lifelong learning aspirations, whether it be completing an independent project or attaining skills in a particular area. The program allows Scholars in Upper Manhattan a formal opportunity to access University resources and participate in the intellectual life of the University through interaction with faculty, students and other visiting scholars.
Renee Cummings is a criminologist, journalist, crisis intelligence specialist and international criminal justice consultant. She will be examining the impact of artificial intelligence on criminal justice and the social impact of artificial intelligence on communities of color and incarcerated populations, including the creation of a book and a documentary on the subject.
Kenneth Miles is a member of Community Board 9 who works as a strategic impact, culture and partnerships consultant and was a founder at Intent Partners. He will be developing a community-based culturally responsive think tank around population health, civic engagement, education and ethical tech.
Kevin O’Connor is a literary agent with a background in children’s media, including television and music. He has also worked in adult nonfiction, especially books on science, technology, history, art and design. He will be identifying, documenting and communicating strategies to guide and support first-time authors through the publication process in children’s books, young adult novels and adult nonfiction.
Valerie Rochon is an award-winning dance instructor for NYC public schools. She will be engaging in archival research on choreographer and dancer Jean-Léon Destiné in order to catalog her collection of his work and finish writing his biography.
Dalton Whiteside, a graduate of the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture at the City College of New York, is an architectural historian and tour guide focused on West Harlem. He will be completing a book on the architectural history of institutions in West Harlem and a virtual model of the area as a time-traveling experience where viewers can begin to understand change through space and time.
This article originally appeared on the Columbia GCA website.
