Glenance Green, PhD

CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Recognized by WVON and Ariel Investments as one of Chicago’s 40 Gamechangers Under 40, Glenance Green, affectionately known as Dr. G, is a dynamic scholar, author, and community organizer dedicated to racial equity, Black liberation, and policy reform. A multi-talented leader, she holds a Ph.D. in Policy Studies in Urban Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago, with research focusing on Black women-led organizations leading resistance efforts against oppression through community-driven educational models, which not only advance their organizations' missions but also have potential implications for shaping state and local education policy.

A versatile storyteller, Glenance uses poetry, film, and other art forms as tools of healing and liberation. Glenance is also the author of Resilience in Rhyme, a powerful collection of poetry that explores themes of healing, resilience, and resistance, reflecting her deep commitment to using art and storytelling as tools for both personal and collective liberation. In addition to Resilience in Rhyme, she published Shades of Green, a collection of short stories, poetry, and prose examining the complexities of identity and lived experiences. Glenance seamlessly weaves together the power of data with storytelling, recognizing that stories are data in their most human form. She understands that numbers alone can’t capture the full truth of our lived experiences. Instead, narratives—whether shared through poetry or community testimony—offer a crucial layer of context, driving both personal healing and systemic change.

As the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Black Researchers Collective, Dr. G works to advance racial equity by equipping communities with research tools to be more civically engaged and policy-informed, using publicly accessible data and participatory action research to address systemic inequities. She also co-hosts the Research in the Streets podcast, to discuss how research and data can be used by everyday people in everyday life. Dr. G serves on the Equity Advisory Council for the City of Chicago and is a board member of Kuumba Lynx, a youth serving arts organization that uses Hip Hop pedagogy as a tool of empowerment and social justice. With over 15 years of experience in research and the non-profit sector, Dr. G’s work bridges the worlds of community, academia, activism, and art, strengthening her contributions to movements for racial equity and justice.