Jorja Leap is an American anthropologist and adjunct professor in the social welfare department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is also Director of the Health and Social Justice Partnership at UCLA and is a nationally recognized gang expert.[1][2]
Jorja Leap | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jorja Manos Los Angeles, CA |
| Occupation(s) | Professor, Social Worker, Author |
| Notable work | Jumped In, Project Fatherhood |
In 2011, Leap was named one of Los Angeles Magazine's Action Heroes for her policy work and gang intervention efforts in the Los Angeles area.[3] Los Angeles Magazine named her as one of the "50 Most Influential Women in Los Angeles" in 2012, and in the same year she won the Joseph Nunn Alumna of the Year award at UCLA.[4]
Early life
editLeap was born and raised in South Los Angeles, California.[5]
Education and career
editLeap completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees from UCLA. In 1978, she received a B.A. in Sociology. In 1980, she earned a master's degree in social work, and in 1988 she received a Ph.D. in psychological anthropology.[6] Her dissertation, under the name Jorja Jeane Manos Prover, was Culture-makers: Hollywood writers as an American elite.
She was a lecturer at California State University, Fullerton from 1980 to 1990, and at the University of Southern California from 1990 to 1992, before joining UCLA as a lecturer in 1992.
Books
editIn 1994, under the name Jorja Prover, Leap published the book No One Knows Their Names: Screenwriters in Hollywood.[7]
In March 2012, Leap published Jumped In: What Gangs Taught Me About Violence, Drugs, Love, and Redemption.[8]
In 2015, she published Project Fatherhood: A Story of Courage and Healing in One of America's Toughest Communities.[9]
References
edit- ^ Violence, drugs, love and redemption in the LA gang life, KPCC, March 14, 2012
- ^ Beiser, Vince (September 11, 2012), "Gangster Anthropologist: Jorja Leap / Youth violence researcher / University of California, Los Angeles", Pacific Standard
- ^ Herold, Ann (October 1, 2011), "The Action Heroes", Los Angeles Magazine
- ^ Jorja Leap, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, retrieved 2018-02-25
- ^ "Jorja Manos Leap - The Honor Foundation". The Honor Foundation. Retrieved 2018-03-02.
- ^ "Jorja Leap: How to succeed in leaving gang life", The Optimists, University of California, Los Angeles, retrieved 2018-02-25
- ^ See Leap's UCLA profile for Leap's connection to this book. Review of No One Knows Their Names:
- De Brigard, Emilie (September 1995), "Hollywood: Mecca of the Movies/No One Knows Their Names: Screenwriters in Hollywood", Visual Anthropology Review, 11 (2): 112–113, doi:10.1525/var.1995.11.2.112
- ^ Reviews of Jumped In: What Gangs Taught Me About Violence, Drugs, Love, and Redemption:
- "Jumped In", Publishers Weekly
- "Jumped In", Kirkus Reviews, March 6, 2012
- Inderbitzin, Michelle (March 2013), "Jumped In", The Champion, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, p. 60
- Schichenmeyer, Terri (June 20, 2012), "Jumped In", Our Weekly
- ^ Reviews of Project Fatherhood: A Story of Courage and Healing in One of America's Toughest Communities:
- "Project Fatherhood", Publishers Weekly
- "Project Fatherhood", Kirkus Reviews, June 9, 2015
- Lindemeier, Bob (July 2016), "Project Fatherhood", The Champion, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, p. 61
- Anderson, Tre'vell (June 11, 2015), "Jorja Leap sheds light on Watts' black fathers in 'Project Fatherhood'", Los Angeles Times