Deion Scott Hawkins

is an Assistant Professor of Argumentation & Advocacy and the Director of Debate at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. Once a licensed high school English teacher committed to using debate as a tool for social change and civic engagement, Deion is now a critical scholar whose qualitative work centers on underserved, under-resourced and historically marginalized communities that are typically absent in academic research. As an expert in Critical Race Theory (CRT) and health communication campaigns, Deion studies the health disparity of HIV in the Black community. Additionally, his work analyzes the intersections of communication, race, police brutality, and trauma. Deion proudly identifies as first-generation, Black, and Queer; he wholeheartedly believes professors should use their academic privilege and social position to advocate for social change and communicate with the general public for the greater good. In 2021, he founded S107 Solutions, LLC; named after his high school debate classroom, S107 offers a range of DEI & racial justice trainings, team building workshops, academic coaching, and strategic plans to help organizations advance their mission.