Origin Story

Peace Community,

My name is Taharka Anderson and I am the Founder of Your Neighborhood Scholar (YNS) and currently a PhD Candidate in African & African Diaspora Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. If you knew me growing up, you would know I was raised in Long Beach, California by my parents who taught me to honor the legacies and ongoing freedom struggles of African/Black communities and address social inequality.

Together, these home teachings, my formal education, participation in community and college-based organizations, and work experiences provided me deep understandings of what was/is wrong with society and what needed/needs to be changed. 

Unfortunately, I have seen a major knowledge and dialogue gap between people who are not in formal education spaces like colleges and those who study, research, and teach at colleges. For me, this is an issue because both groups are generating knowledge and can collaboratively enhance how we make sense of the world. 

To help bridge this divide, in 2020 I launched Your Neighborhood Scholar as a Virtual Classroom & Online Learning Community to share neighborhood narratives, research, and resources to advance justice in Black communities. Since being established, my goal has been to gather the best scholarly sources on issues impacting Black life and interview key organizers, scholars, and activists who can provide additional insight on how to improve the lives of Black people.

I believe the general public needs access to such high-quality information. As a result, I provide educational materials to the community for free through social media and this website.

All I ask is that if you find something useful here at Your Neighborhood Scholar, feel free to support by telling others about YNS, purchasing some merch, or making a donation.

With that being said, thank you for dropping by, take a look around, and click on any of the hyperlinks that provide direct access to critical content. These links can be found by visiting our Education & Resource Guides or our Podcasts/Interviews.

Remember, you are a critical resource to your community and you have a story that deserves to be heard, so continue Learning, Teaching, and Organizing.

Your Humble Servant,

Taharka Anderson, Ph.D. Candidate 

Founder, Your Neighborhood Scholar