Dr. Michelle Coghill Chatman, an Associate Professor at UDC and Director of the Violence Prevention and Community Wellness Program, is a transformative educator and researcher dedicated to integrating mindfulness, restorative justice, and healing-centered education into her scholarship and teaching. As the Founding Director of the Mindful and Courageous Action (MICA) Lab, she cultivates holistic youth development, Black family well-being, and community resilience, while forging strategic partnerships to advance violence prevention and social justice initiatives.
Experience
Education
Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology, American University, 2013 Master of Arts in Applied Anthropology, American University, 1998 Bachelor of Science in Anthropology & Sociology, University of the District of Columbia, 1993
Roles
Director, Violence Prevention and Community Wellness Program, 2024-Present Founding Director, Mindful and Courageous Action (MICA) Lab, CJSS UDC Acting Chair, Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences, UDC, 2023 Associate Professor, Crime, Justice, and Security Studies Program & Facilitator, Mindfulness and Contemplative Learning Initiative, UDC, 2020-Present Assistant Professor, Crime, Justice, and Security Studies Program, UDC, 2016-20 Assistant Professor, Sociology Program, UDC, 2011-15
Courses Taught
History and People of Africa Mindfulness for Justice & Wellbeing Restorative Justice Justice in a Multicultural Society Violence Prevention and Community Wellness
Expertise
Establishing strategic partnerships with DC agencies and nonprofits to provide violence prevention and community wellness training to DC residents
Supporting a workforce and citizenry versed in violence prevention best practices and strategies for enhancing community wellbeing and social justice
Research Focus / Works in Progress
Mindfulness and contemplative practices in higher education; healing-centered education; holistic youth development; violence prevention Black family well-being
Leadership
Director, Violence Prevention and Community Wellness Program, UDC, 2024-Present Founding Director, Mindful and Courageous Action Lab, UDC, 2022-Present Fellow, National Coalition of Health Equity, Racial Healing, 2024-Present Acting Chair, Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences, UDC, 2023 Member, Interdisciplinary Research Leaders Program, University of Minnesota, 2017-20
Impact
Selected Publications
Chatman, M., Costa, L. & Robinson-Morris. D.W. (Eds.) (2024). Contemplative practices and acts of resistance in higher education: Narratives toward wholeness. Routledge.
Carroll-Miranda, J., Lindala, A. E., Moreno-Sandoval, C., Shockley, E. T., Chatman, M., Cadeau, D., Fleming, J., López-Quiñonez, A., Flores-Reyes, E., & Martínez-López, M. (2023). Decolonizing computing and research as a third space of academic sovereignty. In C. Kaye & J. Haynes Writer (Eds.), Third-space exploration in education. IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-8402-9.ch008
López-Quiñones, A., Martinez-Lopez, M., Moreno Sandoval, C.D., Carroll-Miranda, J., Lindala, A.E., Chatman, M.C., Fleming ,J., Shockley, E.T., Cadeau, D., & Flores-Reyes, E. (2023). Ancestral computing for sustainability: Centering indigenous epistemologies in researching computer science education. TechTrends, 67(3):435-445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-022-00820-y
Chatman, M., & Wright. R. (2023). Insights from the Project Youth MIND: Building a virtual youth community during a health and racial pandemic. In K.E. Canada & C.M. Peters (Eds.), Community-engaged research for resilience and health, Volume 4.University of Cincinnati Press.
Chatman, M. (2019). Advancing black youth justice with contemplative practices and African spiritual wisdom. Journal of Contemplative Inquiry, 6.
Selected Presentations
Chatman, M. C. (2024). Healing-Centered Education Conference. Chatman, M. C. (2022). Mindfulness in Education Conference, Rhinebeck, New York. Chatman, M. C. (2022). Alone with my memories: Reflections on ancestors, elders, and time. The Bertha Crosley Ball Center for Compassion, Portland, Maine. Chatman, M. C. (2021). Decolonizing mindfulness.Rocky Mountain Regional Dialogues on Mindfulness, Greeley, Colorado. Chatman, M. C. (2022). Community of belonging: Grounding reflection and social action into sustainable inclusive practices. Nazareth College, Rochester, New York.
Selected Grants
Coalition of Health Equity. (2024). Racial Healing Fellowship. Clemens Foundation. (2022). Social justice mindfulness certificate. UDC Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. (n.d.). Mindfulness and Contemplative Action (MICA) lab. Humanities D.C. (n.d.). Rigging history: Black men’s labor as the Smithsonian’s NMAH skull crew, 1975-2000. National Science Foundation. (2019). Ancestral computing for sustainability. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2017). Project Youth MIND - Mindfulness integration for nonviolent development.
Recognitions
Scholar of Promise, UDC, 2014 Teacher of Promise, UDC, 2020 Leadership Award, UDC, 2024
Invited Participations
Testified before D.C. City Council on Violence Prevention Program, 2023
