Dominique Jackson is a Tobagonian-and-Trinidadian-American actress, author, model, reality television personality, and LGBTQ+ community advocate.
Her acting work includes leading as Elektra Abundance on the FX television series Pose and performing in American Horror Stories, American Gods, and LGBTQ+ documentaries, such as Oxygen Network’s GLAAD Award-winning reality docu-series Strut. She has also made a powerful mark on the modeling scene as a Black transgender woman, and as a resident model to Adrian Alicea Couture, Manuel Pelferes Couture, and Angel Ayala Couture.
“We are incredibly honored to have Dominique, who embodies so many of NYU Steinhardt’s values and aspirations, to serve as this year’s Scholar-in-Residence” says Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng, NYU Steinhardt’s Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Belonging, whose office hosts the program. “In recent years, nearly 500 anti-LGB and trans bills have been proposed, with most disproportionately harming trans women of color. Dominique’s partnership with us and our work in the year ahead makes a statement of where we stand as a community: we are only whole if everyone is included.”
Dominique echoes these sentiments: "I am so happy to be here and am looking forward to an exciting, educational, and fun collaboration where diversity and inclusion is at the foundation.”
In her capacity as Scholar-in-Residence, Dominique will participate in both public-facing and more curated events that will bring together the NYU Steinhardt and the NYC ballroom community. These engagements currently include supervising fashion design collaborations between the Steinhardt and Ballroom communities to be showcased at a multimedia fashion show, and honoring the contributions of femme queens (or trans women in ballroom culture) to popular culture writ large.
These events will build on existing work across departments. For example, Shamari Reid, Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning, who nominated Dominique for this year’s residency, says “My work sits at the nexus of social justice education, Black LGBTQ+ identities, and ballroom, so having Dominique as our next scholar in residence warms my heart. This partnership between NYU Steinhardt and a Ballroom and cultural icon sends a powerful message about the importance of engaging in intentional collaborations with culturally rich communities in our shared work toward building a more inclusive world.”
Related Articles
Two New Publications by Shamari Reid on Agency and Inclusivity of Black LGBTQ+ Youth in Schools and Lessons from NYC’s Ballroom Culture
Shamari Reid, assistant professor of teaching and learning, has recently published two articles on the agency and inclusivity of Black LGBTQ+ youth in schools and lessons from NYC’s ballroom culture.
Leonardo and Olga Suarez Paz named NYU Steinhardt 2022-2023 Scholars-in-Residence
Leonardo and Olga will work with the Dance Education Program in NYU Steinhardt’s Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions to elevate and illustrate the power of the art of Tango.
Georgina Kleege named NYU Steinhardt 2022-2023 Scholar-in-Residence
Kleege will work with NYU Steinhardt’s Department of Media, Culture, and Communication and the NYU Center for Disability Studies to transform arts access.