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Traci C. West has long been interested in social justice and activism, and she pursued a career in the United Methodist Church. She developed her skills in social justice organizing as an undergraduate at Yale, and has continued her activism as a UNMC minister. Her work has been greatly influenced by the Civil Rights Movement, the Alexander v. Yale-Title IX lawsuit, and her college experiences with influential speakers such as Audre Lorde and Angela Davis.

Life
Traci C. West was born in 1959 in a family with deep Methodist and Baptist roots. Her mother, Paula F. West, greatly influenced her, promoting her engagement in politics and pursuit of intellectual endeavors. In her early years, West attended church services regularly and cultivated her intellectualism through private study sessions with her mother. West attended the New Canaan Country School in Connecticut during the 1960s where she became an advocate for justice and raised awareness of racism. Further, she was deeply influenced by the Civil Rights Movement and perceived a calling to a career in the United Methodist Church. During her undergraduate studies at Yale in the late 1970s, West continued to develop her skills in social justice organizing, including serving on the Grievance Board for Student Complaints of Sexual Harassment, which was formed after a lawsuit against Yale. Her time at Yale marked the beginning of her gender and sexual identity exploration, as well as her politicization. After graduation, she moved on to a career in activism, ministry, and scholarship, characterized by its disruptive and prophetic nature. Her work, including several theology texts, is distinguished by a unique incorporation of personal women's narratives into her analyses of gender, race, and sexuality in relation to intimate violence.

Research
Traci C. West's scholarly work is known for its critical examination of the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality in the context of violence, with a particular focus on black women's experiences. Her research and writings are characterized by the incorporation of personal narratives into her analyses to give an intimate and nuanced perspective on these issues. She brings a feminist theological lens to these discussions, emphasizing justice-making in real-world scenarios. West's research brings to the forefront the essential feminist question of the tension between the particular and the universal and argues for the recognition and celebration of individual lives, intersecting identities, and women’s subjectivity. Her work is noted for its disruptive character, challenging prevailing norms in ministry and academia. Additionally, West is an influential voice in academic conversations surrounding the intellectual connections and distinctions between Black feminism and womanism.

Influence
Rev. Dr. Traci C. West's influence spans multiple fields, most prominently theology, social justice, and academia. She is recognized not only for her scholarship but also for her active involvement in the real world, advocating for justice and equality. West's distinctive approach integrates personal narratives and thorough analyses of race, gender, and sexuality aspects of intimate violence into her theological studies, marking her as a notable scholar-activist. Her work in the academic field, specifically in the study of Black feminism and womanism, has positioned West as a leading figure in ongoing discourse. She has contributed significantly to the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, among others. West has also received numerous teaching awards, including Teacher of the Year Award and the Scholar-Teacher of the Year Award from Drew University, affirming her influence as a pedagogue. Her activism is grounded in her scholarship, and she has consistently used her academic platform to advocate for social justice issues. As an undergraduate at Yale, she actively participated in social-justice organizing, serving as a representative for the Black Student Alliance, and played a key role in the establishment of initial policies related to sexual harassment at the university. The impact of West's influential works, such as Disruptive Christian Ethics, has been widely recognized. Her focus on the tension between the particular and the universal, alongside her emphasis on individual lives, intersecting identities, and women's subjectivity, has significantly shaped the field of theology and academic study of justice.