Sukari Ivester

Dr. Sukari Ivester is Senior Professor of Practice and Associate Program Director of the Humanities and Social Sciences Program at Tulane University’s School of Professional Advancement (SoPA). Dr. Ivester is an urban sociologist whose community-engaged work focuses on urban planning and development, coastal policy, gentrification, social determinants of health, and the politics of resistance, with a commitment to helping communities recover and rebuild after environmental disasters. 

Dr. Ivester is also a Tulane Mellon Foundation Faculty Fellow in Community Engagement, where she integrates academic research with community-driven initiatives aimed at addressing social inequality and improving planning practices. She specializes in historic preservation, hazard mitigation, and emergency management.

Beyond her academic work, Dr. Ivester serves as a housing navigator in rural Plaquemines Parish, supporting residents affected by disasters and guiding them through the recovery process. She works closely with residents, Feredal, the state and parish governments, and non-profit organizations to secure both temporary and permanent housing solutions. Her efforts focus on advocating for sustainable, equitable redevelopment while addressing the challenges of displacement and rebuilding in vulnerable coastal communities. 

Beyond her professional work, Dr. Ivester enjoys volunteering at local food banks, salsa dancing, practicing yoga, paddleboarding, kayaking, and traveling. She’s also learning to blow glass and loves spending time with her family and friends.
 

Publications

Ivester, S. (2023) “Race, Resistance and Planning For Climate Change in Coastal Louisiana” Coastal Sediments 2023, pp. 866-871

Ivester, S. (2020) “Forced Removals in Gentrifying Rio de Janeiro and San Francisco: Experiencing Displacement” in Global Gentrification: Gentrifiers and the Displaced, by Jermone Krase and Judith DeSena. Palgrave.

Austin, D., Atencio, M., Yeung, F., Stein, J., Mathur, D., Ivester, S. Woods, D. (2019) “Diversity and Inclusion Pedagogy: Addressing Multicultural Teaching Competency and the Achievement Gap at a Racially Diverse University” Currents in Teaching and Learning, V11, No. 1. Worcester State University.

Ivester, S. (2018) “Urban and Industrial Slavery” in The World of Antebellum America, edited by Jaime Martinez. ABC-Clio.

Ivester, S. (2017) “Removal, resistance and the right to the Olympic city: The case of Vila Autodromo.” Journal of Urban Affairs. Vol. 39, No. 7. Wiley.

Ivester, S. (2017) “Rio de Janeiro” entry in The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Travel and Tourism, edited by Marie-Pierre St-Onge. SAGE. Thousand Oakes, California.

Ivester, S. (2015) “Culture, resistance and policies of exclusion at World Cup 2014: The Case of ‘Baianas do Acarajé.” Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure, and Events. Vol. 7 No. 1. Taylor & Francis.

Ivester, S. (2014) “Race, Culture and Political Exclusion/Inclusion: The Cases of Australia and New Zealand.” Journal of Social Science Research. Vol. 4 No. 10. CirWorld.