I'm Dr. KáLyn (Kay) Coghill (they/them), an interdisciplinary scholar, award-winning activist, practitioner, and educator based in Richmond, Virginia. My work focuses on addressing online gender-based violence, and I specialize in developing innovative harm reduction strategies created by Black women and non-binary femmes in digital spaces. Additionally, I explore the troubling use of AI in perpetuating sexual harm online, mainly through deepfake technology.

I've had the honor of sharing my research on prestigious platforms such as the United Nations NGOCSW67 and the 2023 Conference on Feminist Approaches to Justice, where I discussed the impact of technology on women and girls in the justice system. My collaboration with the UN has led to the creation of guidelines and recommendations for police officers to address Technology Facilitated Violence Against Women. Internationally, I work with organizations like Glitch UK, and my expertise has been featured in Essence magazine, highlighting my commitment to raising awareness and fostering change.

I'm passionate about discussing online gender-based violence, and I conduct workshops and training sessions on harm reduction strategies and digital footprint management. As an adjunct at several universities in their Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Department and Sociology Department, I teach and create courses on misogynoir, hashtag activism, hip-hop feminism, digital storytelling, and literature.

Beyond my professional work, I serve on the board of the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project and provide abortion doula services in the Richmond area. I also run a sister circle called GLOW at a local high school, focusing on Black feminism. In everything I do, I aim to support, educate, and empower others to create safer and more equitable digital and physical spaces.