UROP Project
Behind the Scenes of SoulClap: A Black Joy Journal
Black Joy; Creative Writing; Open Access Publishing; Editorial Research; Narrative Archiving
Research Mentor: Dr. Dr. Chris Omni, MPH, MLS, She/Her
Department, College, Affiliation: African American Studies / OMNI Institute of Well-being, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: comni@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Mr. Vince Omni, MFA He/Him
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: vomni@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators: Gemini Williamson she/her
Faculty Collaborators Email: GOW23@fsu.edu
Department, College, Affiliation: African American Studies / OMNI Institute of Well-being, Social Sciences and Public Policy
Contact Email: comni@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Mr. Vince Omni, MFA He/Him
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: vomni@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators: Gemini Williamson she/her
Faculty Collaborators Email: GOW23@fsu.edu
Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: English; African American Studies; Editing, Writing & Media; Art, Communication, or Digital Humanities; Environmental Humanities
Project Location: remote
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 7, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: English; African American Studies; Editing, Writing & Media; Art, Communication, or Digital Humanities; Environmental Humanities
Project Location: remote
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 7, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
- Day: Tuesday, September 2
Start Time: 6:00
End Time: 7:00
Zoom Link: https://youtu.be/2-2czUMjgY0
Project Description
SoulClap is an open-access journal that centers Black Joy as a creative, communal, and scholarly force. The inaugural issue, themed Black Joy and Nature, is a collaborative effort between the OMNI Institute of Well-being and Florida State Open Publishing (FSOP) to amplify joyful, life-affirming narratives from across the African diaspora.As a UROP research assistant, you will join the editorial team supporting the Fall 2025 submission window (Sept 1 – Dec 1). Your work will involve organizing, cataloging, and archiving submissions, as well as helping maintain smooth editorial workflows. This opportunity is ideal for students interested in publishing, community-based research, Black studies, or archival storytelling.
You will contribute to the behind-the-scenes process of publishing SoulClap’s inaugural issue and help establish a model for future volumes.
Research Tasks: Cataloging submissions using spreadsheets and project management tools; Creating metadata entries (title, author, genre, theme tags); Tracking submission status and supporting peer review logistics; Reading and summarizing select submissions for internal review; Participating in weekly team check-ins and editorial planning; Assisting with digital archiving in collaboration with FSOP
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
* Detail-oriented with strong organizational and reading skills
* Comfort using Google Drive and Google Sheets
* Ability to work respectfully with sensitive, creative, and personal material
Recommended:
* Interest in publishing and community-engaged research
* A joyful, collaborative presence
Mentoring Philosophy
I view mentoring as a sacred, reciprocal relationship rooted in trust, cultural care, and joy. Informed by eco-womanism, my mentoring practice honors the interconnectedness of land, lineage, and liberation. I support the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—not just the academic identity.Whether mentoring through research, writing, or intergenerational storytelling, I encourage students to bring their full selves into the work. Their lived experiences, ancestral memory, and emotional insight are not side notes—they are sources of knowledge and power. I help students recognize that their stories matter and that scholarship can be soulful.
My style is affirming yet accountable. I walk alongside mentees, offering guidance that is grounded in deep listening, clarity, and collaboration. I center joy as both method and outcome—because when students feel seen and safe, they flourish.
Projects like SoulClap and Dear Beloved SoulFlower (a secondary UROP experience) invite students into a model of scholarship that is healing, embodied, and impactful. Whether we’re cataloging submissions or curating research for publication, I teach that publishing is not just a product—it’s a process of becoming.
Ultimately, my goal is not to replicate myself but to help each student uncover and amplify their unique voice. Mentorship, to me, is about creating space where confidence can grow, authenticity can lead, and joy can take root.