Calenthia Dowdy

Calenthia Dowdy, PhD (she/her) was born and raised in Philadelphia, is a cultural anthropologist and has taught on the faculties of Eastern University, Messiah University, and as remote adjunct faculty at the University of Montana. Calenthia’s doctoral research examined Afro-Brazilian youth activists in Rio de Janeiro. In Brazil she soaked in the fusion of Indigenous, African, and Portuguese cultures. Other life adventures include serving as a youth pastor, teaching kindergarten and eighth grade students, facilitating anti-racism trainings with Roots of Justice and Damascus Road. A public educator teaching AIDS information and stigma reduction, Dowdy is a recipient of the Red Ribbon Award from Penn’s Center for AIDS Research, a Women’s Way Powerful Voice Award, and 2022 Faith Leader of the Year Award by the Faith Leaders Network of Philadelphia FIGHT. She currently serves as the Director of Collaborative Ministries for Mosaic Mennonite Conference and president of the trustee board for the Metropolitan Christian Council of Philadelphia.