AAG Honors 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Award Recipients

The American Association of Geographers (AAG) has revealed the recipients of its 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Awards, recognizing geographers whose sustained leadership and advocacy have strengthened representation and equity across the discipline. These honors highlight long-term commitments to building a more inclusive professional culture within geography and geographic information systems (GIS).

Elevating Community-Driven GIS and Representation

This year’s awardees include Raynah Kamau and Whitney Kotlewski, the founders of Black Girls M.A.P.P. and leaders behind the People for the People (P4TP) initiative, as well as Dr. Jovan Lewis, an economic geographer and assistant professor jointly appointed in African American Studies and Geography at the University of California, Berkeley.

Kamau and Kotlewski, both professionals at Esri, have combined corporate leadership with grassroots organizing to expand visibility for community-centered geography. Through Black Girls M.A.P.P., they created a platform designed to connect, mentor, and empower women of color working in GIS. Their initiative equips marginalized communities with tools to map social challenges, interpret spatial data, and apply geospatial analysis to civic decision-making.

By leveraging compelling cartographic storytelling and public outreach, Black Girls M.A.P.P. has aligned its mission with broader social justice movements, including support for Black Lives Matter. Most recently, the People for the People initiative focused on civic education and engagement during the 2020 election cycle, emphasizing issues affecting Black communities and other historically excluded groups.

In addition to their external impact, Kamau and Kotlewski have influenced internal culture within GIS and technology spaces, particularly at Esri. Their advocacy has amplified the voices of women—especially women of color—and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, demonstrating how geography can serve as a catalyst for racial equity and systemic change.

Kamau described the recognition as both humbling and affirming, noting that Black Girls M.A.P.P. began as a shared commitment to improve representation in GIS and evolved into a dynamic community using spatial tools to visualize pressing social concerns. Kotlewski emphasized that their work has consistently centered on empowerment and representation, calling the award a meaningful milestone in their professional journey.

Advancing Black Geographies in Research and Teaching

Dr. Jovan Lewis’s scholarship and academic leadership have significantly shaped contemporary conversations around Black geographies. At UC Berkeley, he co-directs the Economic Disparities research cluster within the Othering and Belonging Institute, integrating spatial analysis with critical inquiry into inequality.

Lewis has played a pivotal role in foregrounding Black geographies within academic geography, influencing both departmental culture and interdisciplinary collaboration. His work extends beyond research publications to public engagement, mentorship, and recruitment initiatives that encourage Black students to pursue advanced study in geography.

As co-editor, alongside Dr. Camilla Hawthorne, of the influential volume The Black Geographic, Lewis has contributed to expanding the intellectual scope of the field. He is also the author of Scammer’s Yard: The Crime of Black Repair in Jamaica, a study examining crime, repair economies, and racialized narratives. His forthcoming book, Violent Utopia, explores expressions of Black sovereignty and freedom in Tulsa, Oklahoma, tracing developments from early settlement in Indian Territory through the centennial of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre.

Within the AAG itself, Lewis has been instrumental in elevating Black Geographies as a recognized and sustained area of scholarship. He helped lead the Black Geographies Specialty Group and successfully advocated for the formal inclusion of Black Geographies as a thematic focus at the 2018 AAG Annual Meeting. Despite being early in his academic career, his sustained commitment to students, scholarship, and community engagement signals continued leadership in the years ahead.

Reflecting on the award, Lewis expressed gratitude to colleagues who supported his nomination and emphasized the longstanding role of the AAG in fostering equity and justice within both political and intellectual dimensions of geography.

A Legacy of Recognizing Equity in Geography

Established in 2005 and formerly known as the Enhancing Diversity Awards, the Diversity and Inclusion Awards acknowledge individuals whose efforts broaden participation and equity within the discipline. Previous honorees include distinguished scholars such as Laura Pulido, Clyde Woods, and Joe Darden, among many others who have shaped generations of geographers.

For more than a century, the American Association of Geographers has advanced geographic scholarship and professional practice. Founded in 1904 as a nonprofit organization, the AAG now brings together members from nearly 100 countries. Through its Annual Meeting, peer-reviewed journals—including Annals of the American Association of Geographers, The Professional Geographer, GeoHumanities, and the AAG Review of Books—as well as its online newsletter, the organization supports research, dialogue, and innovation in geographic theory, methodology, and applied practice.

The 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Award recipients exemplify how geography and GIS can be mobilized to address systemic inequities, strengthen community voice, and reshape the discipline toward greater inclusivity.