She received a Ph.D. from the Law, Policy and Society Program at Northeastern University where her doctoral research examined the intersection of disability and race through the lens of the Cape Verdean community. Dr. Thomas was born in and grew up in Roxbury, where she still lives. Joint appointed in Africana Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies, Dr. Thomas teaches a cross section of courses: WGST 100 Introduction to Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies