JONATHAN PULPHUS

Jonathan Pulphus (he/him) is an equity advocate and organizer. Jonathan is from St. Louis, Missouri, and graduated from Saint Louis University in 2017 with a BA in African American Studies and minor in Women & Gender Studies. While in attendance, he was awarded the James D. Collins award for academic excellence and Jamala Rogers Young Visionary Award for community service. Jonathan’s commitment to service and organizing helped lead to the signing of the Clock Tower Accords, an agreement from SLU toward access and equity. He served as the Saint Louis University’s President of Black Student Alliance, co-founder of Tribe X, a community organization and signer on the agreement. Jonathan is a recipient of the St. Louis American Foundation 2025 "Salute to Young Leaders" Award for his career achievements and community service.

Amongst many hats— organizer, activist, community servant, Jonathan recently ventured out as a thought leader and strategist. In 2024, Jonathan launched Justice Cultivator, a platform that provides customized solutions for social justice, violence prevention, anti-racism, and conflict resolution needs in government agencies and mid-sized organizations and businesses. His published work, “Student Activism and Palestine: University Officials, Which Side Are You On?,” available at The Black Commentator, calls our attention to the Spring 2024 campus responses to student activists, fighting against injustice— an issue he knows all too well. His most recently published article titled "Punishing student activism is appalling –– but it's not new," available at St. Louis Post-Dispatch, urges university administrators to stand up for their student-activist leaders in a national climate of anti-intellectualism and authoritarianism.

Jonathan’s debut book, With My People: Life, Justice, and Activism Beyond the University (Sept. 16), provides a forward and honest approach to social activism/community organizing, beginning with education. With My People explores how college students have — and continue to today — protest systemic injustice and bring about community change. By examining this activism, Pulphus asks: what does it take to sustain a movement beyond the university? Pulphus draws from his experience of being a St. Louis University sophomore when he joined the battle for justice in the wake of Michael Brown Jr.’s murder. He co-founded the activist group Tribe X and helped conduct multiple peaceful protests, which were covered in Ebony, The Washington Times, The New York Times, St. Louis American, and other local St. Louis media.

Jonathan resides in St. Louis City with his family.