Jaden Janak

Jaden Janak (they/he) is a Donald D. Harrington Graduate Fellow and PhD candidate in African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. His research focuses on U.S. prison abolition organizing in the 20th and 21st centuries, LGBTQ+ studies, and the Black Freedom Struggle. In their freetime, they teach courses on History, English, and Math at MTC Coleman, a women’s prison near Austin. His research can be found in Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, Behemoth: A Journal on Civilisation, Social Education, and GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies. Jaden is proud to serve as a Junior Fellow and Board Member with the Center for Applied Transgender Studies.

Jaden earned their B.A. in African American Studies from Saint Louis University, and their M.A. in African and African Diaspora Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. They will graduate in May with a Ph.D in African and African Diaspora Studies from UT-Austin. Jaden is a proud dog dad to Solo, a three year old terrier mix, and Stitch, a one year old golden retriever mix. He lives with his partner in Austin.