Dr. Jameelah R. Wright is an educator, researcher, and nonprofit leader committed to advancing equity in early childhood education. She is an Assistant Professor of Teacher Education at William Paterson University, where she also serves as P–3 Program Director and prepares future educators to teach with cultural humility, intellectual rigor, and care for young children and their communities.

Her scholarship centers Black women’s knowledge and lived experiences in early childhood education, with a particular focus on teacher assistants and grow-your-own pathways into the profession. Grounded in Black feminist epistemology, intersectionality, and qualitative inquiry, her work examines labor, language, literacy, and professional identity in urban early learning contexts.

Beyond the academy, Dr. Wright is the founder of The Urban Flower Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting early childhood educators, especially teacher assistants, through professional development, mentoring, and access-oriented learning opportunities. Her work bridges research, practice, and community-based impact.

Dr. Wright is also a poet and creative writer, weaving narrative, memory, and reflection into both her scholarly and personal work. Across classrooms, research spaces, and community initiatives, she is driven by a commitment to justice, joy, and the belief that those closest to the work hold transformative wisdom.