Philomena Essed, PhD, Professor of Critical Race, Gender, and Leadership Studies at Antioch University’s Graduate School of Leadership and Change, is renowned for her groundbreaking research and teaching on everyday racism and gendered racism, which span national, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries. Her work has provided the foundation for the film Everyday Dignity, directed by Ida Does, which recently won the Best Cinematography Documentary award at The International Black & Diversity Film Festival.
This documentary highlights Essed’s influential work on racism, originally explored in her book Everyday Racism, which challenged the Netherlands’ self-image of tolerance 40 years ago. Everyday Dignity brings her pioneering anti-racism work into the present, emphasizing its ongoing relevance and impact.
Essed holds a PhD from the University of Amsterdam and honorary doctorates from the University of Pretoria and Umeå University. She is well known for introducing the concepts of everyday racism, gendered racism, social and cultural cloning, entitlement racism, and racism knowledge. As an expert on race, gender, and racism in Europe, Essed has presented at significant international forums, including the European Parliament, the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the House of Representatives of the States-General in the Netherlands, the United States Helsinki Commission, and the EU Parliament hearing on Afrophobia.
Additionally, she is a founding faculty member of the Black Europe Summer School in Amsterdam, where she annually teaches on racism and xenophobia. In recognition of her contributions, she was honored with a Knighthood by the Queen of the Netherlands in 2011.
Watch the Everyday Dignity trailer.
