Dr. Melina Abdullah is Professor and Chairof Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles. She earned her Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Southern California in Political Science and her B.A. from Howard University in African American Studies.

Her research focuses on power allocation and societal transformation. Abdullah has authored several articles and book chapters, including "The Emergence of a Black Feminist Leadership Model,” “Hip Hop as Political Expression," "Self-Defined Leadership Among Black Women," "Capitalistic Hands around My Throat: Corporate Control and the Erosion of Hip Hop’s Womanist Roots," "Pushing and Pulling Towards Coalition: African Americans and the Election of Antonio Villaraigosa," and "Towards a Womanist Leadership Praxis: Electoral/Grassroots Alliances in Black California."