ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brian Peterson is an author and educator based in Philadelphia. Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he attended the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, then remained at the university as a full-time employee and part-time graduate student. After a successful career in Information Technologies, Peterson transitioned to student support and community partnerships, becoming the Director of Makuu, Penn’s Black Cultural Center in 2011. He attained his masters in secondary teacher education and is currently completing his doctorate at Penn’s Graduate School of Education. His primary research interests include urban youth and communities, college student development, and culturally relevant education. Peterson is also interested in media (printed fiction and nonfiction, music, film, and digital), sports culture, social entrepreneurism, and philanthropy.
In 1999 Peterson co-founded Ase Academy, an academic and cultural enrichment program for secondary students in Philadelphia. Four years later, Peterson created Lion’s Story, Inc., a nonprofit educational research and development group to support Ase’s growth and nurture other projects connected to education and culture.
Peterson is the author of four books: Move Over, Girl (Random House, 2000), Spoken Words (Chance22, 2003), The African American Student’s Guide to Excellence in College (Chance22, 2005), and Higher Learning: Maximizing Your College Experience (Chance22, 2010). He also produced a documentary film, It’s Your World: The Legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois College House, in 2005. He is a former staff writer at Okayplayer.com, the website for the Grammy-award winning group The Roots, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, and many more. There he launched Okaybooks, a literature-oriented subsection, in addition to his primary role as newswriter and content provider.
At Penn, Peterson has taught or co-taught three courses: Without Struggle: Contemporary Culture and Extended Identity; Topics in Africana Studies: The History of Women and Men of African Descent at the University of Pennsylvania; and Culturally Revelant Teaching, Learning, and Intervention.
Finally, Peterson is a proud husband and father of five. In his spare moments he enjoys playing Wii, reading bedtime stories, and learning something new daily through his children’s eyes.
