She is the co-author of "The Obamas and Mass Media: Race, Gender, Religion, and Politics" with Dr. Jannette Dates (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013). She is also the author of "Black and Mainstream Press’ Framing of Racial Profiling: A Historical Perspective" (University Press of America, 2009). She also specializes in new media portrayals of women and people of color. Her recent research focuses on the effects of the James Byrd Jr. dragging death on Jasper, Facebook hate groups, stereotypes of President Barack and Michelle Obama, male and female rappers’ differing views on the “independent woman,” and coverage of missing women.