Assistant Professor of Early Childhood and Literacy Education
About the role
Dr. Jhanae Wingfield is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood and Literacy Education at Rutgers University–Newark. She brings 15+ years of experience across K–12, higher education, and community settings.
Area of Expertise
Her research advances culturally relevant pedagogy, equitable early literacy, and teacher preparation for diverse learners. She examines how race, language, power, and culture shape the reading lives of Black and Brown youth, engaging debates on the science of reading and the need for culturally sustaining literacy instruction.
Publications & Speaking Engagements
Wingfield, J., Porterfield, L., Mawhinney, L., (forthcoming) Sis, You good? Mutual Mentorship as Care: Centering Well-being Among Black Women Scholars
Mawhinney, L., Hannon, L. V., Wingfield, J., & Charriez, T. (2024). Resisting practice to impact policy: A case for moving toward an ESL/bilingual teacher education initiative. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 32. DOI
Media Appearances/Speaking Engagements
Oral Testimony: U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Education and the Workforce, Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. Foundations First: Reclaiming Reading and Math through Proven Instruction. Washington, DC. September 3, 2025
Keynote Speaker: Parent Mentor Academy, Partnership for Student Success Conference. Paul Robeson Campus Center, Rutgers University–Newark. June 12, 2025
Decentering and Unlearning: Exploring Urban Education Abroad, International Conference of Urban Education
Organizations/Accomplishments/Upcoming Projects
Previous Organizations:
My Brother's Keeper-Newark
School districts throughout the region
Accomplishments:
Newark Early Literacy Initiative: Co-developer
Education Abroad/Study Abroad Course to Cuba: Co-developer
Upcoming Projects:
Principal Investigator: Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race Research Grant 2025-2026
Title: “Reading Power: Race, Literacy, and Political Belonging in Black New Jersey”
How Do Social and Racial Justice Concerns Appear in Your Work?
My work centers social and racial justice by revealing how systemic racism and linguistic oppression in schooling obscure the cultural literacies children already possess. By bridging everyday practices, music, storytelling, play, and spiritual traditions, with the technical skill of reading, I reframe literacy as both technical skill and cultural practice, advancing equity for Black and Brown youth in particular. I also situate literacy within broader political and transnational struggles for justice.