Dr. Stephanie M. Crumpton

Author | Scholar | Minister

Rev. Dr. Crumpton is an organic intellectual whose work sits at the intersection of Black resistance, Black joy, and collective healing within African American communities. She approaches these themes with the same level of seriousness and care, insisting that liberation movements must hold space for both struggle and restoration. Her new book, We Gon' Be Alright: Healing and Resistance in Black Movement Spaces (2012–2021), traces nearly a decade of organizing through the Obama years and the first Trump presidency, examining how Black activists used care practices, reflection, creativity, and communal wisdom to navigate trauma and sustain resistance in the face of unrelenting sociopolitical pressure. The book is both a historical account and an invitation to consider how healing shapes the durability of movements.

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In her role as a leader in theological education, Rev. Dr. Crumpton serves as Director of the Trauma Healing Initiative at McCormick Theological Seminary, a $1M Lilly Endowment–funded program. Her work there focuses on forming educators and learners who are equipped for trauma-informed, healing-centered teaching and community engagement. She is committed to reshaping how institutions hold space for people who lead, learn, and heal in environments marked by inequity and harm.

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Beyond her institutional leadership, Rev. Dr. Crumpton is an in-demand speaker and thought partner. She regularly curates professional development experiences for community leaders, educators, pastors, organizers, and teams across both the public and private sectors. Her presence in these spaces reflects her broader mission: supporting individuals and communities as they imagine and build toward more humane, spiritually grounded, and justice-oriented futures.