Saint Michael’s College’s Institute for Equity and Justice looks to the future – and the ‘common good’ – with a new director

For her entire life, Dr. Jolivette Anderson-Douoning, a Saint Michael’s College history professor, has been working to lead and educate others in the teachings of social justice and equity.

In the summer of 2025, that lifetime of work was recognized when she was named the College’s Institute for Equity and Justice’s second-ever director.

“This is the work I’ve been doing since I was probably three years old,” Anderson-Douoning said. “I’ve always known that I am supposed to be doing something dealing with leadership and figuring things out.”

Founded in 2023, the Institute for Equity and Justice was created after advocacy from students and faculty alike, completing the College’s trio of interdisciplinary academic institutes. Three years later, the Institute continues its mission of fostering community and collaboration on topics related to equity and justice. The Institute works to address systems of oppression and inequity by building bridges that connect different cultural and ethnic backgrounds on campus.

Jolivette Anderson-Douoning, history professor and Saint Michael’s College Edmundite African American Fellow, leads a discussion in March 2025 during the class entitled Edmundites in the Civil Rights Movement.

Historical lessons

Anderson-Douoning, who specializes in American studies, applies her multidisciplinary historical knowledge to her work with the Institute. She came to Saint Michael’s College as the inaugural Edmundite African American Fellow while she was completing her Ph.D. at Purdue University. Since her arrival in 2021, she has taught various courses on Black Catholicism, African American history, the Civil Rights Movement, and Edmundite history.

From a young age, Anderson-Douoning was captivated by history and the lessons we can learn from it, she said. Growing up in Louisiana, Anderson-Douoning became her family’s “unofficial historian,” which led her to pursue a career in history academia. The lessons she learned through her studies of history translate directly into how she plans to lead the Institute.

“History is a part of equity and justice,” Anderson-Douoning said. “You have to look at the lived experiences – how people get their basic needs met; food, clothing, water, shelter, clean water, and transportation.”

Jolivette Anderson-Douoning, shown teaching in fall 2023, uses her own history as a tool to teach History classes at Saint Michael’s. The class is called The African American Experience, 1619 to the Present. (Photo by Cat Cutillo)

Fostering engagement through the arts

Since becoming director at the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year, Anderson-Douoning has placed heavy emphasis on the importance of having students engage with the Institute. One way she plans to do this is through the arts.

As a performance poet and avid enjoyer of all things artistic, Anderson-Douoning believes that the arts are essential tools for both reflection and education.

“Arts play a crucial, serious part in our processing and understanding society,”  Anderson-Douoning said. “The artist has the power to not just entertain, but to educate people.”

One of Anderson-Douoning’s favorite forms of art is Reggae music. Earlier this year, she invited Reggae artist and Grammy award-winning songwriter MediSun to Saint Michael’s to give a talk titled “Born in Jamaica: Rhythm, Rastafari, and Resistance.” This talk and MediSun’s work on campus explored the connections between music, culture, and social justice.

“Action is a part of the education process to me,” Anderson-Douoning said.

Institute for Equity and Justice Director Jolivette Anderson-Douoning, right, sits with Grammy award-winning artist MediSun during an event in November 2025. (Photo by Sophie Burt ’26)

Partnerships on campus and beyond

In her experience as a historian and American Studies professor, Anderson-Douoning frequently incorporates what she calls “culture labs.” These experiences encourage students to engage with the history and cultures they are learning about outside the classroom.

Keeping this concept in mind, Anderson-Douoning wishes to engage in partnerships with other organizations at Saint Michael’s and in the broader community.

Fr. David Theroux, S.S.E., Vice President of Edmundite Mission.

For example, the Institute plans to work closely with the Institute for the Environment, the Institute for Global Engagement, and the MOVE office.

Fr. David Theroux, S.S.E., Vice President of Edmundite Mission, said that the Institute for Equity and Justice adds an important dimension to the mission-driven work done by the College.

“It adds a dimension to all the other institutes and organizations on campus,” Theroux said.

The mission of the Institute connects directly with the values of the College established by its founders, the Society of St. Edmund, Theroux said.

“It’s important to be involved with people who are struggling due to issues related to equity and justice,” he said.

Anderson-Douoning intends to further enrich the Institute with international partnerships. With the help of MediSun, the Institute has gotten involved with organizations in Jamaica, such as Life Yard, the Rastafari Mansions Organization, and the Peter Tosh Foundation.

These organizations promote social justice and prosperity for the people of Jamaica, a cause that Anderson-Douoning cares deeply about.

Goals for the future

Down the road, Anderson-Douoning hopes for the Institute to pursue and engage with four main goals: enhancing students’ understanding of the seven liberal arts, promoting Catholic Social Teaching, advancing environmental responsibility, and preserving the legacy of the Edmundites.

“These four things connect to classes, connect to the Edmundites and their mission, and connect to the mission of the College,” Anderson-Douoning said.

With these goals in mind, the Institute also hopes to host regular events and programming that will enhance students’ understanding of social issues. Ultimately, Anderson-Douoning sees the Institute as a conduit for students, faculty, and the broader community to better understand the themes of equity and justice and how they manifest in our world today.

“If I can in some kind of way create programming and work in a way that engages with students and engages with the community at large to help us see ourselves better,” she said, “then I feel like I’m doing my job.”

From left, Grammy award-winning Reggae artist MediSun, hip hop artist Edwin Owusu, and Vermont-based Reggae artist Bobby Hackney speak with Institute for Equity and Justice Director Jolivette Anderson-Douoning during an event focused on art, activism and authentic voice in November 2025. (Photo by Sophie Burt ’26)

A centerpiece of her vision for the Institute for Equity and Justice is the concept of “radical love.” Anderson-Douoning defines this as how we see others and how we can recognize the worth and dignity of every person we meet.

“How we put that radical love into action is what I’m being asked to do,” she said.

Through programming, partnerships, and student engagement, Anderson-Douoning intends to use this concept of radical love through the Institute for Equity and Justice to work toward the common good.

“My understanding may be different from your understanding,” she said. “But we’re still trying to reach the same goal – which is the public good.”