ABSTRACTS
2019 National McNair Scholars Conference at UCLA
Researcher: Breanna J. Aguilar
Presentation Title: Spatial Analysis: The Annexation of Alisal in 1963
Research Focus: spatial segregation, rurban areas
School: UCLA
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
The city of Salinas, California annexed the community formerly known as Alisal in 1963. The addition of roughly 20,000 residents into what came to be known as East Salinas, helped Salinas’ population to grow from 30,000 to 80,000 in 1980. Rapid growth resulted in an increase in housing projects, which offers a lens into the intersections of labor and migration within the city that led to social stratification. National policies such as the Bracero Program of 1942 generated an influx of migration to Salinas. However, much research on Salinas neglects these demographic changes, and is based solely on the dynamic agricultural industry. This project will examine how and why Salinas annexed Alisal, and how race factored into the decisions made by the city officials. Additionally, I will investigate who was responsible for granting the land on which housing projects were created on. I will conduct this research by examining housing records and city council minutes within the Salinas Public Library and Monterey County Historical Society as well as conducting 5 oral histories of Alisal/East Salinas residents. I will draw from William H. Watkin’s, The White Architects of Black Education: Ideology and Power in America, as a framework to analyze how racial supremacy is a carefully constructed project by white, wealthy men. This project is significant because it adds to the history of rural areas within California.
Researcher: Jackelyn Avendano
Presentation Title: The Impact of the War on Drugs on East Palo Alto Students
Research Focus: Quality of urban schools during the War on Drugs.
School: UCLA
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
In 1966, East Palo Alto (E.P.A) Black mothers created the African American independent school, the Nairobi Day School, to establish agency in the education of their children. Although
the school “was described as “one of the best educational programs for Black children in the country” by the Institute for Black Child Development, it was closed in 1984 the same year Nancy Reagan launched her federal “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign (Blakeslee, 1975). By 1992 E.P.A became the murder capital in the United States with high rates of crime, high rates of incarceration and increasingly low student performance. There are gaps in the historical and educational literature archiving the quality of schools after the Nairobi Day School closure. This project investigates the following: what is the history of segregation and isolation of E.P.A students between 1984 and 1994? What are the racial practices and policies connected to high criminalization and low performance of E.P.A students between 1984 and 1994? And What impact did the War on Drugs have on East Palo Alto students in the 1980s and 1990s? For this historical research project, I will use Critical Race Theory and Colorblind Racism as theoretical frameworks to analyze local newspapers and archival records at Bancroft Library and Stanford University, as well as San Mateo County School Board. This study will be used to inform local school board initiates, curriculum, and for the empowerment of high potential youth in East Palo Alto, CA.
Researcher: Pedro Henrique Perretti Borges
Title: Brazilian ethnic identification: understanding the effects of panethnic Latino/a label in the US
Research Focus: Panethnicity, Brazilian immigration, language, religion, ethnic boundaries.
School: UCLA
Presentation Type: Oral presentation
Brazilian emigration began in the late 1980s, when one million Brazilians left without returning. Today, there are over 3 million Brazilians who live abroad, and approximately 1.3 million Brazilians are living in the United States today (Marcus 2014). However, upon arriving in the US Brazilians are quickly faced with new panethnic categories of self-identification such as the Latino/a and Hispanic label. Panethnicity entails the construction of new categorical boundaries through consolidation of ethnic, tribal, religious or national groups into a single category (Okamoto 2014). Panethnicity has developed to be an important formula of self- identification across the globe, operating as a force to either create or reconstruct existing ethnical boundaries (Masuoka – 2006). Little research has been done to understand the consequences of the Latino panethnicity for Brazilian immigrants. Most research done on Latin/Hispanic panethnic identity formation has focused on Latin American groups who share language similarities, while most of the times ignoring Brazilians; Brazilian immigrants do not share a common language with the dominant Latino migratory flows present in the US. For this reason, I am interested in unveiling the mechanisms that may drive Brazilian immigrants to identify (or reject) the panethnic Latino/a label by paying close attention to how the Brazilian community in Los Angeles conceptualizes the existing panethnic label. I will study these mechanisms in the context of a Baptist church offering services in Portuguese and attended by both Brazilians and Spanish-speaking Latinos.
Researcher: Pedro Henrique Perretti Borges
Title: Brazilian ethnic identification: understanding the effects of panethnic Latino/a label in the US
Research Focus: Panethnicity, Brazilian immigration, language, religion, ethnic boundaries.
School: UCLA
Presentation Type: Oral presentation
Brazilian emigration began in the late 1980s, when one million Brazilians left without returning. Today, there are over 3 million Brazilians who live abroad, and approximately 1.3 million Brazilians are living in the United States today (Marcus 2014). However, upon arriving in the US Brazilians are quickly faced with new panethnic categories of self-identification such as the Latino/a and Hispanic label. Panethnicity entails the construction of new categorical boundaries through consolidation of ethnic, tribal, religious or national groups into a single category (Okamoto 2014). Panethnicity has developed to be an important formula of self- identification across the globe, operating as a force to either create or reconstruct existing ethnical boundaries (Masuoka – 2006). Little research has been done to understand the consequences of the Latino panethnicity for Brazilian immigrants. Most research done on Latin/Hispanic panethnic identity formation has focused on Latin American groups who share language similarities, while most of the times ignoring Brazilians; Brazilian immigrants do not share a common language with the dominant Latino migratory flows present in the US. For this reason, I am interested in unveiling the mechanisms that may drive Brazilian immigrants to identify (or reject) the panethnic Latino/a label by paying close attention to how the Brazilian community in Los Angeles conceptualizes the existing panethnic label. I will study these mechanisms in the context of a Baptist church offering services in Portuguese and attended by both Brazilians and Spanish-speaking Latinos.
Researcher: Wesley Carrasco
Presentation Title: UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF DROUGHT ON TROPICAL CLOUD FORESTS
Research Focus: Climate Change, Climatology, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Soil
School: UCLA
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Climate change has become the greatest existential threat to human life on the planet. Honduras is one of the countries most affected by climate change. The region is severely affected by El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which leads to prolonged periods of drought. This is especially devastating in rain-fed agricultural systems, as droughts of a few weeks can be devastating, and yet droughts that persist or endure for years can lead to climate changes (Lund. et al, 2018). In Honduras, droughts season is driven by El Niño, which is influenced by the warming of sea surface temperatures of the equatorial region of Central Pacific Ocean. The initial effects of drought can be slow, but prolonged periods of drought can be devastating to humans and natural environments. Temperature can determine the rate at which a plant progresses through its various life cycles. These life cycles are influenced by seasonality, and can lead to an increase in mortality rates due to lack of moisture and nutrients. These tropical cloud forests are at-risk due to a combination of human impact, biotic and drought affects which threatens the biodiversity. The current study looks at the impact that drought, and forest clearing has on the development of flora phenology in the Celaque National Park. Specifically, this project looks at how tropical cloud forests are being impacted by lack of precipitation, soil moisture, rising temperatures, caused by El Niño and exasperated by human stresses.
Researcher: Jose Cervantez
Presentation Title: ‘Can I succeed here’? : Understanding Transfer Students’ Sense of Belonging, Connectedness, and Academic Adjustment
Research Focus: Social Psychology, Education, and Sense of Belonging
School: UCLA
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
The community college to university transfer process can offer new academic and career opportunities, and personal fulfillment for many incoming students. However, it can also be a time where students face stigma, underperformance, stereotype, and failure. Prior research has shown that sense of belonging is a predictor for how transitioning students will perform academically. Students who hold a higher sense of belonging to their academic environment report higher GPA, large social networks, and increased resource utilization. The current study will implement a sense of belonging intervention for incoming transfer students. Approximately 60 students will be recruited to participate in a 10 week long intervention that involves reading letters from past transfer students as well as reflecting on their own trajectory. Approximately 100 students not participating in the intervention group will be used as a comparison group for gauging the impact of the intervention. Outcomes of interest include sense of belonging, self-esteem, GPA, and resource utilization. The purpose of the intervention is to increase sense of belonging among new transfer students. I hypothesize that intervening on sense of belonging will lead to an increase in GPA, academic resource utilization, and sense of academic fit within the university. This study will contribute to the literature on psychosocial interventions, particularly for incoming transfer students.
Researcher: Aunica Cesena
Presentation Title: Mentoring and Belonging: An Analysis of Peer Mentorship and Sense of Belonging in UCLA’s Queer Peers Counseling Program
Research Focus: LGBTQ Mental Health
School: UCLA
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Current literature states that LGBTQ college students are more likely to experience anxiety and depression. This can be exacerbated by experiences with heterosexism and genderism, or the institutional reinforcement of norms– which privilege straight sexual orientation and the organization of gender presentation, performance, and identity in a way that corresponds strictly with a students’ sex assigned at birth. This study will use Minority Stress Theory as a framework to understand the additive stressors which account for the increased rates of anxiety and depression that LGBTQ people face. An increased sense of belonging and peer mentorship have been shown to lower levels of anxiety and depression and help underrepresented groups foster a sense of community on campus. This study will explore how interaction with UCLA’s Queer Peers Counseling Program supports LGBTQ students of color in navigating their experiences of heterosexism and genderism in order to build a greater sense of belonging on campus. Ten semi-structured interviews will be conducted with students who have accessed the program in order to detail their experiences with formal peer support. The findings of this study will inform the development of next year’s Queer Peers Counseling Program training curriculum in order for peer mentors to best serve UCLA’s LGBTQ students of color.
Researcher: Jasmine Hernandez
Presentation Title: Nativity Status is Associated with Higher Levels of Alcohol Use Among Latinx Men Who Have Sex With Men in Los Angeles
Research Focus: addiction, Latinx mental health
School: University of California, Los Angeles
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Prior research has shown alcohol use disorder is strongly associated with adverse life circumstances, more among Latinx men who have sex with men (LMSM). Previous findings vary as to whether native-born or foreign-born status is a predictor for higher levels of alcohol use. The current study examined whether foreign-born LMSM who have experienced deportation reported higher levels of alcohol use when compared to U.S.-born LMSM. A cross-sectional analysis was performed using baseline data from the mStudy, a longitudinal study examining alcohol and drug use among male-identified Latinx and African-American/Black MSM in Los Angeles. Results indicated U.S.-born LMSM were significantly more likely to report higher levels of alcohol use than foreign-born LMSM, thus providing evidence for the immigrant paradox. Future research should explore how native-born status is a risk factor for higher levels of alcohol use among LMSM, as well as identify protective factors among foreign-born LMSM that decreases their risk. These results may inform mental health professionals and researchers on how to better address appropriate preventive measures in reducing alcohol use disparities among LMSM.
Researcher: Stephanie Martinez
Title: Falling through the cracks: Gentrifications effect on navigating K-12 Education
Research Focus: Education and Gentrification
School: University of California, Los Angeles
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
In Northeast Los Angeles, gentrification has become an issue for the residents and local businesses. Increasingly, apartment owners renovate complexes and increase rent that low- income people of color cannot afford, causing evictions and displacement. An often overlooked subject in gentrification studies is the question of community schools. In the literature on gentrification and schools, scholars have found the following outcomes: that gentrification causes re-segregation in communities; a corresponding increase in the number of charter schools; and a drop in access to resources at public schools, as well as student displacement. Generally, high school students are the most vulnerable population, given that they are most at risk of pushout in the educational pipeline. Nevertheless, the issue of student homelessness and displacement as it relates to gentrification has been understudied. Therefore, my research questions are as follows: given the relationship between displacement and homelessness in Northeast LA, what is the impact of this type of homelessness on student’s educational journey? How does the condition of homelessness affect their engagement or non-engagement with the education system? Data collection methods for this research will be based on surveys and semi- structured interviews. With an added social barrier such as displacement, navigating high school becomes more difficult affecting student retention in K-12.
Researcher: Janet Rivera
Presentation Title: Money Matters: The Effect of Financial Literacy Among First Generation College Students
Research Focus: Financial Literacy, Hidden Curriculum, Systemic Racism, etc.
School: University of California, Los Angeles
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
In 2007, approximately 2.3 million low-income students eligible for financial aid did not complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (Kantrowitz, 2009).
Understanding the financial aid process is crucial to college student success, yet so many students are unaware of how this process works; let alone how to navigate it. Financial literacy is the means to understand and effectively apply financial comprehension to receive optimum financial outcomes. It is commonly accepted that in order to succeed in higher education and beyond, one must know how to prosper in these spaces, which requires having educational capital about the hidden curriculum. The hidden curriculum is a term referring to the “unwritten social rules and expectations of actions that we all seem to know, but were never taught” (Martin, 1983). This project examines whether a hidden financial curriculum differently impacts first- generation students of color on college campuses, and whether this hidden financial curriculum impacts retention and academic progress. In doing so, this research will identify and help mitigate the financial literacy challenges students encounter when navigating financial aid packages, and filing FAFSA. My methodology includes conducting twenty-eight in-depth interviews from subjects of both pools, collecting loan debt data and who is historically applying to FAFSA from the financial aid department, surveying about the knowledge that exists about the means to apply, and using a systemic racism lens.
Researcher: Miriam Santana
Presentation Title: Counterpublics: De-Essentializing Machismo in Oscar Zeta Acosta’s The Revolt of the Cockroach People and Justin Torres’ We the Animals
Research Focus: Contemporary literature, gender, race, identity, machismo
School: University of California, Los Angeles
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
This research aims to explore the ways in which literature goes beyond methodological sociological understandings of Chicano and Latino males. My research questions are: How can literature point to some of the gaps in sociological research? How can reading, theorizing, and interpreting literature offer ways of imagining Chicano and Latino males beyond machismo? The method used for this research is close-reading. First, research on Chicano and Latino males in sociological research has historically defined and categorized them through negative stereotypes, describing them as alcoholics, physical abusers who need to overpower and control women, and who avoid any behaviors or attitudes socially considered feminine. While such attitudes and behaviors exist within Chicano and Latino communities, are problematic, and should be addressed, I argue that these acts and behaviors exist beyond such communities and that this gap has largely gone unaddressed. Nevertheless, such one-dimensional understanding posits machismo as an inherent characteristic of Chicano and Latino males. Notwithstanding, the increased ethnic and gender diversity in authorship post-1970’s to present such as The Revolt of the Cockroach People by Oscar Zeta Acosta and We the Animals by Justin Torres, resist against essentialist formulations of national, and gender identities, thus proving a vantage point towards nuancing and problematizing machismo. Using both novels, this research will use a variety of methods, from close-reading to reassessing form, to disidentification theory to argue that these texts expose machismo as entangled in questions of history, indigeneity, politics, and identity.