About Me

Anthony Blacksher is a poet, professor, and avid vinyl record collector. He holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies from Claremont Graduate University, with a concentration in Africana Studies, where his research delved into the historical context and representation of spoken word and performance poetry. His academic journey also encompasses a master's degree in Sociological Practices from California State University San Marcos, where he explored the pivotal role of church communities as advocates addressing racial health disparities. Dr. Blacksher's scholarly pursuits extend to ethnic studies, crime and deviance, Hip Hop studies, and digital humanities.

Dr. Blacksher currently serves as the interim dean for the Division of Social Sciences, Human Services, Kinesiology and Health at San Bernardino Valley College. As a faculty member at SBVC, Dr. Blacksher assumed key leadership roles, including chairing the Sociology department and establishing the Ethnic Studies program. He served as a quad-chair for the District Human Resources Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Advisory Committee and as a chair of the Honors Program. Notably, he played a pivotal role in inaugurating the annual poetry reading to commemorate the life and activism of SBVC alumnus, John Trudell.

A member of the Puente Program’s statewide training team of facilitators, Dr. Blacksher is dedicated to improving the teaching practices of community college instructors. Additionally, he continues his scholarship as a research collaborator with co-authored articles in the Cambridge Companion to the 21st Century American Poetry, Journal of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music, and a forthcoming article in Applied Theatre and Racial Justice: Radical Imaginings for Just Communities. 

Dr. Blacksher serves as a publisher of the San Diego Poetry Annual and sits on the board of the San Diego Entertainment + Artists Guild. An acclaimed poet, he led the San Diego Poetry Slam team in five national poetry slam tournaments, including the team’s first final-stage appearance in 2013, and appeared in TVOne’s Verses & Flow. Dr. Blacksher continues to perform as a member of the collective bkSoul, whose works center on the themes of social justice and liberation. An avid vinyl record collector, he enjoys freedom-fighting music with soulful melodies and big groovy bass lines.