Researcher. Storyteller.
Creative Entrepreneur.

Sheena C. Howard, is an award- winning author, filmmaker and scholar. In 2014 Sheena became the first Black woman to win an Eisner Award for her first book, Black Comics: Politics of Race and Representation (2013). The Eisner Awards are considered the ‘Oscars of Comics’. She is also the author of several critically acclaimed books and comics books. In 2017, Sheena published the Encyclopedia of Black Comics, which is the first book of its kind, profiling over 100 Black people in the comics industry. The Encyclopedia of Black Comics was named the 2018 American Library Associations’ Outstanding Reference Source. 

In 2014, Sheena published Black Queer Identity Matrix and Critical Articulations of Race, Gender and Sexual Orientation. Sheena is the co-writer of the comic book, Superb about a teenage superhero with Down Syndrome. 

She has appeared on NPR (National Public Radio), ABC, BBC, PBS as well as other networks and documentaries as an expert on popular culture, politics and social justice. Sheena is the subject of a 2018 Emmy-nominated episode of State of the Arts, which airs on NJTV and WHYY.

In 2016, Sheena directed, produced and wrote the documentary Remixing Colorblind, which explores the ways the educational system shapes our perception of race. Parts of the documentary were filmed at West Catholic High School in Philadelphia, Lehigh University and Drexel University. The film premiered at The Ritz Landmark theatre in Philadelphia. Sheena organized and hosted a talk about race and education at the Philadelphia Main Library in 2017 as a part of her documentary tour in which proceeds from the event went to local non-profit organizations.

Sheena has twice received a Proclamation from the City of Philadelphia for her literary work, social justice and creative projects.

Sheena was born and raised in Southwest Philadelphia. She now has one child, is a Professor at Rider University in the Department of Communication and Journalism. Outside of her full-time job, Sheena spends time writing and speaking to organizations and educational institutions on a variety of topics including social justice, diversity, and representation.