I am an Assistant Professor of Language, Literacy, and Culture in Teaching, Learning & Curriculum. Raised between my Nigerian and African American cultures, my hybrid identity is reflected in my work that focuses on Black African immigrant youth. Specifically, my research explores the role of language, literacy, including digital literacies, in Black African immigrant youth identity constructions and negotiations across school, community, and digital spaces. I pay particular attention to the intersection of racialization and socialization processes that influence their identities. I draw on my lived experiences, the wisdom of my former middle school students, and the arts to inform my creative approach to shifting static ideas about race, immigration, language, literacy, and identity. A critical part of my work includes putting my research and critical theories into practice through partnerships and programming to enhance racial, educational, social justice as well as youth of color lives. My academic scholarship has appeared in the Journal of Literacy of Research, Teachers College Record, and the Journal of Research in Childhood Education. My public scholarship has been featured on various formats, including TEDx, ESSENCE Magazine, NPR Radio, ZORA, and SXSW. 

Education

Ph.D. The University of Texas at Austin (Language & Literacy Studies)

M.A. Teachers College, Columbia University (Curriculum & Teaching, Literacy Specialist) 

B.A. Michigan State University (Elementary Education)

Select Publications 

(If you'd like to read a copy and/or need access, email me lomogun@uw.edu.)

• Omogun, L. & Skerrett, A. (2021). From Haiti to Detroit Through Black Immigrant Languages and Literacies. Journal of Literacy Research, 53(3), 406-429. Digital Publication/Abstract
• Omogun, L. (2021). Counterstories: Reimagining youth in multiethnic short story anthologies [Review of the book Black enough: Stories of being young & Black in America edited by I. Zoboi. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 64 (5). Digital Publication/Abstract 
• Skerrett, A. & Omogun, L. (2020). When racial, transnational, and immigrant identities and literacies meet: Black youth of Caribbean origin speak. Teachers College Record, 122 (13)
• Wetzel, M. M., Vlach, S. K., Svrcek, N. S., Steinitz, E., Omogun, L., Salmerón, C., ... & Villarreal, D. (2019). Preparing teachers with sociocultural knowledge in literacy: A literature review. Journal of Literacy Research, 51 (2), 138-157. Digital Publication/Abstract
• Omogun, L. (2018). Immigrant student identities in literacy spaces. Texas Education Review, 6 (2), 70-81.

Select Awards & Fellowships

• Scholars of Color Transitioning into Academic Research Institutions Fellow (STAR), Literacy Research Association (2022 – 2024)
• Outstanding Dissertation Award, Bilingual Education Research SIG, American Educational Research Association (2022)
• Cultivating New Voices among Scholars of Color Fellow (CNV), National Council of Teachers of English (2020 – 2022)
• Texas New Scholars Fellowship, Department of Teaching & Curriculum, The University of Texas at Austin (2016 – 2019)

Courses

EDC&I 528: Foundations of Language, Literacy, and Culture 

EDC&I 568: Youth Multiliteracies: Modality, Culture, and Identity

EDTEP 533: Language, Culture, and Power in the Writing Classroom