DeAnna Monique Daniels is an Assistant Professor of Africana and Religious Studies with a Ph.D. in Religion in the African American Religion concentration from Rice University in 2023. She embarked on her academic pursuits by obtaining a B.A. in Religious Studies from Alma College in Alma, Michigan. Furthering her education, DeAnna earned a Master of Divinity in 2013 and a Master of Theology in 2014 from Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. In 2015, she expanded her expertise by acquiring a Master of Arts in American Studies with a graduate certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. While at Lehigh University, DeAnna distinguished herself by being awarded a Strohl Grant and the prestigious Research Excellence in Humanities and Social Sciences Award. In 2020, she earned a Master of Arts in Religion from Rice University. DeAnna's dedication and scholarly achievements have been recognized through her appointment as the 2022-23 Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) Doctoral Fellow. Additionally, she was honored with the 2022 Honorary Dissertation Fellowship from the Louisville Institute.
DeAnna's scholarly interests are diverse, focusing on Black religion, the intersections of gender and sexuality, Black speculative fiction and horror, popular and visual culture, and art and aesthetics. Additionally, her research engages critical theory, disability theory, Black studies, and cultural studies.