Texas Southern University (TSU) proudly announces the prestigious recognition bestowed upon Trushna Parekh, Associate Professor of Geography, who has been honored with a 2024 ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). This esteemed fellowship, part of the ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowship and Grant Program, offers flexible support tailored to the research, teaching, and service commitments unique to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). In its inaugural year, the program will provide assistance to 20 HBCU faculty scholars, empowering them to pursue exceptional research projects in the humanities and interpretive social sciences.

Parekh's selection from a highly competitive pool of over 150 applicants underscores her academic prowess and dedication to scholarly excellence. As one of eight distinguished fellows, she will receive substantial financial support of up to $50,000 to advance her groundbreaking research initiatives. Additionally, all awardees will benefit from access to networking opportunities and scholarly programming aligned with their academic objectives and institutional contexts. As a testament to TSU's commitment to fostering humanities scholarship, Parekh's achievement will also entail an additional grant of $2,500 to the university to bolster humanities programming or infrastructure.

Expressing gratitude for the honor, Parekh remarked, "It is a profound privilege to be recognized as one of the inaugural recipients of this esteemed fellowship. This award not only presents an invaluable opportunity for innovative research but also underscores the national acclaim for the quality of humanities and social sciences research conducted at Texas Southern University."

Parekh's research endeavors adopt a place-based approach, focusing on the enduring legacy of Mary's...Naturally, a historic gay bar in Houston, amidst the backdrop of urban gentrification. Despite its closure in 2009, Mary's remains deeply entrenched in the collective memory of the community it served. Parekh's project delves into the socio-cultural significance of Mary's, tracing its pivotal role as a hub for community building and political activism. Through oral histories and digital archival efforts, Parekh seeks to preserve and illuminate the profound impact of Mary's on Houston's LGBTQ+ community, countering the erasures of gentrification with narratives of resilience and remembrance.

Joy Connolly, President of ACLS, lauded the exceptional scholars awarded the inaugural ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowships and Grants, emphasizing the invaluable contributions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities to American higher education. ACLS celebrates the brilliance and commitment of these scholars and commends their institutions for fostering excellence in the humanities and interpretive social sciences.

The ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowship and Grant Program was developed collaboratively with HBCU faculty and academic leaders through a series of on-campus workshops, discussions, and virtual focus groups. To learn more about this transformative program and stay updated on future initiatives, visit the ACLS website.

*For more information about Trushna Parekh's research and TSU's commitment to academic excellence, visit TSU's official website.