Understanding the Pandemic Impact on Black and Multiracial Congregations

Dr. B. Clarvon Watts is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Visiting Faculty Associate at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace. Dr. Watts’ areas of expertise are the intersections of race and ethnicity, social inequalities, religion, and health, and she specializes in mixed-methods research. Dr. Watts completed her Masters and doctorate in Sociology at Kent State University, Kent, OH. She studied Religion, and Africa, African American Diaspora Studies at Wheaton College. As well as studied Black Liberation Theology, Womanism, and Systematic Theology as part of her Master of Divinity from Duke University, Durham, NC. Dr. Watts has also researched and co-published on Black Christian women’s lived mental health experiences in “Keeping Ourselves Sane: A Qualitative Exploration of Black Women’s Coping Strategies” and currently serves as a researcher on a study led by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research called Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations: Innovation Amidst and Beyond COVID-19. Specifically studying the impact of COVID-19 on Black and multiracial congregations. Dr. Watts plans to continue to explore the experiences of congregations and faith communities, as well as the intra and inter-communal collaborations between congregations and the community to facilitate social change. Additionally, she merges her research and passion for community wellness and social justice as the Program Director and Grant Writer at Shiloh Development Corporation, Inc., a non-profit housed in a historically Black Baptist Church centered on providing resources for family holistic wellness.