Dr. Daphne Valerius is a media scholar and Assistant Professor at North Carolina A&T University whose qualitative scholarship and research examines inquiries related to media representation and misrepresentation of Black women and girls.

Dr. Valerius is best known for producing the documentary film, The Souls of Black Girls. The film looks at historical and modern representations of women of color and the beauty standards therein. The film features interviews about body image with young women as well as actresses Regina King, Jada Pinkett Smith, the late Journalist Gwen Ifill & Rapper Chuck D among others. At the height of the film’s unexpected success, Dr. Valerius was an invited guest of former First Lady Michelle Obama to the White House as a result of her work. In 2015, The Souls of Black Girls made its first televised debut on ASPiRE TV in association with the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans under the Obama Administration.

As a media scholar, Dr. Valerius' research involves taking qualitative approaches to critically examining media messages (e.g., film and digital productions) to address the role of media in shaping and influencing the prejudice and social stigma of marginalized groups. An example of this research is demonstrated in her dissertation, "Do Black Men Really Love Black Women?". This research involved examining stereotypical media depictions of Black women and conducting focus groups with Black men to better understand how media representations shape and inform perceptions of suitable partners for long-term romantic relationships. This research centers the voice of Black men and suggests that media intersect with personal experiences in a complex way that inform how we see each other. At the heart of Dr. Valerius' scholarship is an understanding that media representation matters.

Dr. Valerius hopes to continue to inspire, encourage, empower and serve Black women and girls through media platforms and creative endeavors that promote personal growth and development, enhance self-esteem, stimulate healing and tell their often forgotten and untold stories through her research and her entrepreneurial endeavors. Dr. Valerius takes the message of self-love and self-worth beyond her film while serving women and girls as an inspirational speaker throughout the country.

A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and Ronald McNair Scholar, Dr. Valerius is an accomplished Producer, Speaker and Entrepreneur, her television production credits include work for networks such as ABC, FOX and BET.