“Dr. Vajra Watson is a visionary leader and powerful way maker in this region. Her ingenious approach to challenging systems of oppression has shaped her commitment to engineering opportunities for intersectional organizing while simultaneously combating white supremacy. Dr. Watson has been exceptionally innovative in cultivating spaces of social justice, equity, and inclusion that coalesce efforts to produce a new generation of educators that collectively challenge institutionalized racism. Dr. Watson’s decades of scholarship and expertise in aligning university, school and community partnerships has created foundations and pathways for academia to be in service to the people.

As a scholar activist, Dr. Watson has displayed courageous leadership and brilliant innovation in her efforts to challenge institutions to be more in tune with the people and places that are often underserved. Dr. Watson is a force, a treasure, an inspiration and has given this region invaluable blueprints to envision a society free from the barriers of systemic racism. Dr. Watson’s invaluable scholarship is centered on empowering individuals and institutions to realize their collective power and responsibility to create a more humane world.”