Maya Brooks graduated in 2025 with her Doctor of Philosophy. Her research focuses on the intersections of race, class, gender, and economics in the 20th and 21st century U.S. South. Her work places emphasis on the African American community and fair housing practices. She also explores modern Georgia history and politics and is a practicing public historian. Her dissertation is titled “Climbing for Higher Ground: Race, Class, and Respectability Among Black Atlantans 1974-2010.”