My name is Jamaal Muwwakkil. I’m a sociocultural linguist, higher ed leader, and advocate for racial justice.
I’m currently available for consulting engagements, collaborations, and media requests.
I’m based in Los Angeles and, recently retired from service as the 2020-2021 University of California Student Regent.
“If Black English isn’t a language, then, tell me, what is?”
-James Baldwin
I love language! My lived experiences have honed my appreciation of the beauty present in language, and Linguistics has provided some tools through which I can glean and describe the depths of that beauty. To date, much of my time has been spent investigating the following areas of research:
African American Language and Culture
My dissertation will cover the description, acquisition, and socialization of African American English in the university context.
Political Discourse
My MA thesis was an ethnographic study of the discourse of conservative student groups on a liberal west coast university campus. I have also authored a piece about the process of doing this work from my positionality.
Educational Linguistics
I have written multiple article about language in the university context and the effects of stigmatization on the educational attainment.
Jay Sures, Jamaal Muwwakkil, Chancellor Henry Yang, Rich Leib, and William Um
As a member of the UC Board Of Regents, I lent my voice to issues related to student basic needs, tech transfer and innovation, the community college transfer pipeline, and issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education.
Dr. Hayley Weddle, John Perez, and Jamaal Muwwakkil