In this episode of the AAA Annual Meeting podcast, Matt Artz talks with Cheryl Rodriguez, chair of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 2024 AAA Annual Meeting, about the conference theme “Praxis: The Application/s of Anthropology in the Present and the Future.” They discuss how this theme reflects current challenges and opportunities in anthropology, particularly in light of the conference location in Tampa, Florida. Cheryl shares insights on local anthropologists’ responses to recent policy changes affecting education and academic freedom in Florida, as well as ongoing work on environmental justice and community engagement in the Tampa area.
About Cheryl Rodriguez
Dr. Cheryl Rodriguez, a Professor of Africana Studies and Anthropology at the University of South Florida for the past 30 years, is a distinguished scholar in the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies. With a Ph.D. in Applied Anthropology from USF, her research focuses on the intricate intersections of gender, race, and class, examining how these social forces shape various aspects of Black people’s lives. Dr. Rodriguez’s expertise spans African-American Anthropology, community studies, housing policy, Black women’s activism, and Black feminisms. Her leadership roles at USF, including Chair of the Africana Studies Department and Director of the Institute on Black Life-Center for Africa and the Diaspora, underscore her significant contributions to academic and community engagement. Her 1992 dissertation on women and microenterprise, reprinted in 2017, reflects her enduring impact on scholarship in gender and economic empowerment within African American communities.
About the 2024 AAA Annual Meeting
The 2024 AAA Annual Meeting is being held November 20-23 in Tampa, Florida. The theme for this year is “Praxis: The Application/s of Anthropology in the Present and the Future.” This theme serves as an organizing principle for contemplating applications of anthropology, responding to systemic injustice, and reimagining the discipline now and in the future. For more information, visit annualmeeting.americananthro.org.
About the AAA
Founded in 1902, the American Anthropological Association is the world’s largest scholarly and professional organization of anthropologists. The Association is dedicated to advancing human understanding and applying this understanding to the world’s most pressing problems.
It publishes a portfolio of 22 journals, offer career planning and professional development services, support college and university departments, award numerous prizes and fellowships, sponsor a paid summer internship program, and stage research conferences in the Fall and Spring each year.
About Matt Artz
Matt Artz is an anthropologist, designer, and technologist specializing in AI product development. He is the founder of Azimuth Labs, host of the Anthropology in Business and Anthro to UX podcasts, and co-editor of EmTech Anthropology and the forthcoming Anthropology and AI. His work has been featured on TED, UNESCO, South by Southwest, and Apple’s Planet of the Apps.