Kristen E. Jeffers

Hey y’all. I’m Kristen. Nice to meet you.

I am a Black, Queer, Dynamically Disabled Feminist, Urbanist originally from Greensboro, North Carolina…

but living with my partner in Southwest Washington, DC. I’ve lived in Raleigh, Durham, Kansas City, Baltimore, and just outside of DC in Prince George’s County, Maryland (Oxon Hill-Glassmanor), and traveled across the United States and Canada.

I am a Sagittarian Millennial (born December of 1985) and while I was raised in the Black Church with elements of the white-led Evangelical church, my views and faith are now more in line with the progressive and emergent church movement, which has allowed me to reconcile the faith practices of my ancestors and the faith practices of other non-white, non-American peoples, into a journey of life where I seek to do right by others and do right by myself.

I am hyperconscious of the physical and spiritual spaces I inhabit.

At the moment I call this my Black Queer Feminist Urbanist ethic and practice.

I’m currently building out a Black Queer Feminist Urbanist Index. I explain all about that and how I got this point in this video from my Inaugural Black Queer Feminist Urbanist Summit.

Additionally, I have always loved reading, writing, listening to and making music, studying history, sociology, and public policy, and making things with my hands, especially things that involve fibers and fabrics.

This site is a landing page for all things me. Follow the links below to connect with the ventures and projects through which I live out my life’s purpose and work.

Short Bio

Kristen Jeffers (she/they) is the creator and managing editor of The Black Urbanist and Kristpattern multimedia platforms, which strive to bring a Black queer feminist dynamically disabled perspective to the greater urbanist sphere through a newsletter, workbook and podcast on Defying Gentrification, and managing urbanist fiber craft events. She’s held a variety of communication and public affairs positions over the last decade and a half and is one of Planetizen’s 2023 100 Most Influential Contemporary Urbanists. Most recently, they were the contributing editor for Greater Greater Washington and have been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Streetsblog the Commericial Appeal, and on NPR affiliates, WAMU, WUNC and KCUR, along with bylines in House Beautiful, Sierra Magazine, Streetsblog, Next City, and Grist

Portfolio at a Glance

Nonprofit Print Publication Design

Podcasting

Public Speaking/Workshops

Personal Essay Writing

Editing for Nonprofit Media

  • Commissioned this piece from a pitch to the general email box to publication for Greater Greater Washington on changing demographics in Prince George’s County —  
  • Synced up the colors to match our site palette on this article on Greater Greater Washington 
  • Write and edit Breakfast Links article roundup and news summary for publication by 10 am every weekday, along with six years of contributing service journalism and article write-ups  

Self-Drafted Crocheted Garments

View and download my resume.