Remembering Tatiana Benjamin

Our beloved colleague, Dr. Tatiana Benjamin, unexpectedly passed away in December of 2022. She was with us only 18 months, not nearly long enough. Known for greeting her students at the start of class with, “Hello Beautiful Humans,” Benjamin was herself a most beautiful human—she loved plants and gardening, her many friends, her family, beautifully painted nails, singing, big earrings, and maybe most of all, teaching her students.

Her time with us was full of laughter and ideas, creativity and kindness. She was a scholar who brought an understanding of the complex work of Black Abolitionist Feminists to students and colleagues. She was caring, powerful, sharp, and above all, “unruly” (her self-described persona). She was unconquerable, autonomous, and uncontrolled by the unjust structures of modern life that seek to repress and restrict.

Benjamin worked tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle systems of inequity. She lived a life of purpose in the way she conducted her research and advocacy, taught and mentored her students and her peers, and served communities — from New York to Virginia to Jamaica.

We learned from and were made better by Dr. Benjamin. She demanded excellence and justice in everything she did, and she did it all with great passion, love, and joy. And a fantastic manicure.