EDUCATOR,
DESIGNER &
COMMUNITY BUILDER
Aimée Knight
I am a writer, educator, and community-engaged scholar, and Professor in the Department of Communication, Film and Journalism at Saint Joseph’s University. I am the author of Community Is the Way: Engaged Writing and Designing for Transformative Change, and recipient of the university’s 2025–2026 Provost’s Faculty Merit Award for Teaching.
As founder of the Beautiful Social Research Collaborative, I have led more than 160 community-led university partnerships in the United States and abroad, including work with Indigenous communities, people currently and formerly incarcerated, and nonprofit organizations. Across my teaching, scholarship, and collaborative practice, I work with students and partners to co-create public-facing media that strengthens local knowledge, relationships, and supports the futures communities envision for themselves.
Projects
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Beautiful Social Research Collaborative
A long-running collaborative with more than 160 partnerships creating writing, and media projects with communities.
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Community-Engaged Summer Workshop
A gathering for writers, educators, activists to explore how writing can support community-led change.
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Community-Led Design: Building Frameworks for Equity & Justice
A framework for building writing, design, and media projects with communities as true co-authors and collaborators.
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Rebel Wisdom: Creative Writing & Rituals for Women at Midlife
A collection of writing and shared practices for women in midlife, exploring friendship and collective wisdom through life’s turning points.
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Regenerative Media & Design: Toward Shared Futures
An emerging approach to writing, design, and storytelling that gives back, builds capacity, and supports community-led futures.
Available as an Audiobook
Now available in audio, Community Is the Way is the first academic audiobook published by the University Press of Colorado. Narrated by Aimée, it asks what it takes to build community partnerships that share power, strengthen local capacity, and create lasting value.
