In academia, kt hopes to direct a cultural center or diversity, equity, and inclusion office, where she can implement programming for underserved students. 

kelsie m. thorne (kt) is an interdisciplinary scholar, community organizer, and artist in Detroit who is currently pursuing both a Master of Social Work and a PhD in Psychology at the University of Michigan. kt’s research sheds light on how the most vulnerable groups of women experience sexual harassment. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, available research on the topic disproportionately represents the experiences of heterosexual, cisgender, and white women, but as kt points out, women of color and queer people are often most at risk of workplace sexual harassment. kt’s work addresses this gap in the literature, using an intersectional framework to understand the experiences of Black queer women in the workplace. For her research, kt recently received a 2023 Anti-Racism Graduate Research Grant from the Anti-Racism Collaborative.

kt’s current research project explores the experiences of Black queer women through qualitative interviews. Her aim is to gain insight into the complexities of mistreatment that these women encounter and the strategies they use to cope, remain authentic, and excel in their professional lives. kt’s research will suggest alterations to social and workplace policies that will help remedy harms that organizational structures perpetuate against Black queer women. Additionally, her research has the potential to significantly impact mental health practitioners’ ability to provide effective care to Black queer women. 

After graduation, kt plans to pursue a career as a professor of psychology, gender studies, and organizational studies, and she will teach courses to help undergraduates and graduate students to understand “the complexities of identity, discrimination, and well-being.” In academia, kt hopes to direct a cultural center or diversity, equity, and inclusion office, where she can implement programming for underserved students. 

CEW+ supports kt’s unwavering commitment to equity and names her a Riecker Graduate Student Research Fellow.