Nekeisha Alayna Alexis, MA
Intercultural Competence and Undoing Racism coordinator
About Nekeisha
Nekeisha Alayna Alexis brings practical, administrative and intellectual gifts to her work at AMBS. As Intercultural Competence and Undoing Racism (ICUR) coordinator, she leads a team of teaching faculty, administrators and students in the ongoing work of AMBS’s strategic priority of undoing racism and building intercultural competence throughout the institution.
As an independent scholar focused on issues of human and other animal oppression, she writes and speaks extensively in the areas of Christian theology and ethics, critical animal studies and related issues.
As an external consultant for the seminary, Nekeisha specializes in what she calls, accompaniment, which entails collaboration with individuals, church congregations and organizations to support them in developing and pursuing their intercultural competence, undoing racism and anti-oppression efforts over an extended period of time. This approach often involves a customized mix of education, strategic planning, ongoing individual and group coaching, policy and materials reviews, and/or intentional use of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). Her desire and gift is to go beyond standalone trainings in order to encourage deep transformation toward justice that can be sustained well into the future.
What experiences do you bring to your role as Intercultural Competence and Undoing Racism coordinator?
I navigate a variety of social landscape in my personal, work and scholarly life. I am a Trinidadian immigrant living as a Black woman in the U.S.; a theological Anabaptist with meaningful experiences in Catholic, non-denominational and African Methodist Episcopal (AME) traditions; and an academic-activist who has worked on a number of issues affecting marginalized communities, from anti-war organizing in New York City to the ongoing efforts to restore a local community center here in Elkhart.
I write, publish and speak on racism and White supremacy; intersectionality; animal liberation in its own right and as it relates to struggles for human freedom from violence and domination. My graduate work at AMBS, which introduced me to womanist and other Black theologies, and my undergraduate study in Africana Studies with a focus on Pan-Africanism continue to influence me, even as I pursue research in areas like the connections between the social constructs of race and species.
Finally, I am certified as a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), which is integral to my work with students, faculty and administrators in our learning community. My work has also extended beyond the AMBS campus, giving me substantial experience outside of academic settings.
Recent related experience
- Center for Community Justice Mediation Training (2017)
- Race and Animals Institute, Wesleyan University (2016)
- IDI Qualified Administrator Training (2015)
- Damascus Road Antiracism Analysis Training (2009)
Memberships and associations
- Founding collective member, North American Association for Critical Animal Studies
Invite AMBS
Invite AMBS is a unique opportunity to invite the faculty and staff of AMBS to come directly to you to address a certain topic. Learn more about Invite AMBS.Possible topics include:
Learning sessions
Learning sessions focus on topics like understanding race, intersectionality, addressing systemic oppression, intercultural competence and working for change. Sessions are customized to speak to the opportunities and challenges facing the congregation, organization or group with the aim of supporting their ongoing transformation.
Strategic planning sessions
Guided conversations to help establish intercultural competence, undoing racism and other anti-oppression initiatives within a congregation or group’s processes or in the way and organization operates. This involves working with partners to review current policies and procedures, determining what existing practices can organically support transformation, and identifying new tools to foster holistic, sustained change.
Individual and leadership coaching
Personal support for organizational leaders (pastors, directors, executives, etc.) who are committed to growing in intercultural competence, undoing racism and other supremacies; and building structural justice into their lives and institutions. This includes accountability conversations to develop goals, check-in on progress, and discerning creative solutions to obstacles as they arise. Assistance with pursuing one’s IDI Development Plan goals is also available.
Constructive review
An independent review of policies, manuals, and other guiding organizational documents and key print and electronic communication materials (websites, brochures, etc.) using an anti-oppression/anti-supremacy and interculturally sensitive perspective.
Intercultural Development Inventory assessment and development (IDI)
Participants take a 50-question assessment, followed by an interactive group workshop to introduce the five areas of intercultural competence as identified by the IDI. One-on-one feedback sessions with individuals who have taken the IDI will explore their assessment profiles and development plans. The workshop and feedback sessions are mandatory for those who want to receive their personal IDI results in keeping with IDI LLC best practices.
Learn more about the IDI with this introductory video.