Josefina Flores Morales PhD

UCLA LPPI Centers Latinas in the Struggle for Reproductive Freedoms

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UCLA LPPI Centers Latinas in the Struggle for Reproductive Freedoms Following the Overturning of Roe v. Wade

By Alise Brillault

The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (UCLA LPPI) elevates research that applies a Latina lens on emerging political issues and aims to be nimble in responding to the evolving needs of the nation’s growing and diverse Latino community. In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and recent attacks on reproductive freedoms, UCLA LPPI brought together its research, mobilization and leadership capacities to advocate for a Latina-centered response.

UCLA LPPI recognizes that America’s future is Latina. By 2050, Latinas will represent 13% of the U.S. population, 11% of the labor force and have a median age 11 years younger than non-Hispanic white women. Yet too often, Latinas are left out of policy conversations, and they experience significant inequity that places them among our nation’s most vulnerable.

Throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, UCLA LPPI has conducted rigorous research to put a spotlight on the challenges Latinas have faced – including exiting the workforce at higher rates than any other group and struggling to keep their businesses afloat as entrepreneurs in sectors like hospitality.

These challenges have now been compounded by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. By ending federal protections for abortion rights, Latinas have not only been deprived of their bodily autonomy – their economic security and ability to make choices about their lives is also undermined.

In response, UCLA LPPI has supported emerging Latina scholars through its policy fellowship program to pursue new research to help quantify the impacts of the Dobbs decision on Latinas. That investigation was recently published in UCLA LPPI’s newest report, “Differential Rights: How Abortion Bans Impact Latinas in Their Childbearing Years.”

Josefina Flores Morales PhD

Josefina Flores Morales, PhD

The policy fellows leading this important research initiative included Josefina Flores Morales, who recently completed her PhD in sociology from UCLA, and Julia Hernandez Nierenberg, a master of social work and master of public policy candidate at UCLA.

“UCLA LPPI is committed to creating pathways for rising scholars to publish applied research and inform policy,” explained the organization’s research director, Silvia González. “It was an incredible opportunity to support Josefina and Julia as they led this project and defined the analytical approach, conducted the research and proposed thoughtful policy recommendations.”

The report was also an opportunity for Flores Morales and Hernandez Nierenberg to receive guidance from UCLA LPPI’s partners at Arizona State University’s Center for Latinas/os and American Politics Research (ASU CLAPR). In addition to obtaining data insights and research support from ASU CLAPR’s Dr. Francisco Pedraza, the report was reviewed by Dr. Rocío R. García and Dr. Kenicia Wright, two women of color faculty members at ASU.

“We were able to work with external reviewers at ASU to get an expert perspective outside of UCLA LPPI that gave us insights from people who have been doing gender, policy and reproductive rights work for many years,” Flores Morales said.

“This was my first time working on a report with external reviewers, and collaborating with Dr. Rocio Garcia and Dr. Kenicia Wright was an honor and privilege,” Hernandez Nierenberg added. “They were both excited and supportive of this project and provided thoughtful feedback for Josefina and me.”

UCLA LPPI has also mobilized community members through expert convenings featuring perspectives from Latina leaders in the reproductive justice space. On August 31st, UCLA LPPI Executive Director Sonja Diaz led a national webinar alongside moderator Astrid Galván of Axios and panelists Olivia Julianna from Gen-Z for Change; Lupe Rodríguez from the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice; América Ramírez of the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity Reproductive Rights; and Cathy Torres of Frontera Fund.

This webinar event brought together Latina leaders at the forefront of the reproductive justice movement to discuss the impacts of the Dobbs decision on Latinas’ bodily autonomy, economic wellbeing and political inclusion in American democracy. During this event, participants discussed a meaningful path forward that centers Latinas, from state level protections and abortion fund networks, to comprehensive federal legislation that secures abortion care and reproductive freedoms.

Image: UCLA LPPI Webinar: Latinas in the Fight for Reproductive Rights

UCLA LPPI Webinar: Latinas in the Fight for Reproductive Rights. From top left, Olivia Julianna, Astrid Galván, Lupe Rodríguez, Cathay Torres, and América Ramírez

“The webinar helped to ground our research in some of the tangible, urgent issues facing Latina access to abortion,” said Hernandez Nierenberg.  “Listening to community groups and on-the-ground partners allowed us to formulate a comprehensive list of policy implications based on our research and these conversations, such as enshrining the right to abortion in state constitutions, increasing funding for community-based clinics and hospitals, and protecting transgender and non-binary persons’ reproductive rights.”

Collaborating on this response to the Dobbs decision was a powerful experience for Flores Morales and Hernandez Nierenberg, who will bring this with them in their future academic and professional endeavors.

Flores Morales, who will be pursuing her postdoc at Stanford’s School of Medicine focusing on epidemiology and population health, said, “Julia was a thought partner through and through, and I’m so glad that we were able to work together to create this report. The team at UCLA LPPI was both cheering us on and also providing really important and critical feedback at each step of the way. So it was really a team effort, and I hope that the report reaches a wide audience and continues these critical conversations.”

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Juan Herrera - Cartographic Memory

Cartographic Memory – w author Juan Herrera (video)

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New book “Cartographic Memory: Social Movement Activism and the Production of Space” maps Chicana/o and LatinX activism and space creation in 1960s Fruitvale, Oakland California. UCLA Geography professor and author Dr. Juan Herrera discusses the research he conducted including oral histories, ethnography, and archival research. Herrera goes into how power dynamics shape the production of space, and the power of social movements to create space, institutions, and social relationships, and how many of those spaces and institutions affect life in communities today.

0:04 – Intro
0:40 – Main argument and contribution of the book
3:01 – Specifics about Fruitvale community movement politics
5:09 – What is Cartographic Memory and how is it important?
7:28 – Choices in how to tell the stories in the book
10:24 – How does the book pertain to the contemporary environment?

UCLA Geography – https://geog.ucla.edu

Interviewer: Dr. Celia Lacayo, Associate Director of Community Engagement, UCLA Social Sciences & Professor Chicana/o & Central American Studies and African American Studies Department

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The Role of Hispanic Serving Institutions in Preparing the Leaders of Tomorrow

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(From left) Dr. Rosita Ramirez of NALEO, Dr. Angel Molina of ASU CLAPR, Supervisor Nora Vargas and Juana Sánchez of UCLA LPPI at the HACU Annual Conference

(From left) Dr. Rosita Ramirez of NALEO, Dr. Angel Molina of ASU CLAPR, Supervisor Nora Vargas and Juana Sánchez of UCLA LPPI at the HACU Annual Conference

The Role of Hispanic Serving Institutions in Preparing the Leaders of Tomorrow

By Alise Brillault

As one of the youngest and fastest-growing demographic groups in the United States, Latinos are key to the future success of our nation and represent the leaders of today and tomorrow. The 2022 midterm elections saw a record number of Latinos elected to Congress, including the country’s first Gen-Z congressperson. Likewise, young Latinos are increasingly shaping election outcomes, driving record turnout around the salient issues that matter most to them. To truly harness the power of this next generation of changemakers, however, Latinos must have access to the high-quality postsecondary education necessary to bolster their full civic and economic participation.

Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), which are federally designated as having at least 25% Latino/Hispanic undergraduate student enrollment, are essential in preparing the future leadership of this country. UCLA is striving towards achieving HSI status, backed by the support of on-campus units like the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (UCLA LPPI).

As such, UCLA LPPI’s director of programs, Juana Hernandez Sánchez, led a panel at last month’s Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) conference. Held from October 28-30 in San Diego, the conference drew education administrators, government agency staff, corporate leaders and community partners interested in supporting Latino university students through HSI status and beyond.

In her panel, Sánchez was joined by San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas as well as UCLA LPPI partners Dr. Angel Molina from the Center for Latina/os and American Politics Research at Arizona State University (ASU CLAPR) and Dr. Rosita Ramirez of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO). Their discussion centered on the role that Hispanic Serving Research Institutions (HSRIs) play in leveraging rigorous research to inform live public policy debates that impact economic mobility, educational opportunity and quality of life for Latino communities in the U.S. In particular, Sánchez and Dr. Molina discussed how their respective research centers are working to advance equitable, data-informed policymaking and governance while training and supporting Latino students.

“Through our Policy Fellowship at UCLA LPPI, we are contributing to campus-wide efforts to train undergraduates in research, strengthen the graduate education pipeline and promote the retention and success of our Latinx graduate students,” Sánchez explained.

“The research is clear that with more education, individuals experience higher earnings, better quality jobs, higher rates of civic participation and other positive life outcomes,” she elaborated. “Thus, obtaining a postsecondary education is not only vital for individuals’ upward socioeconomic mobility and for U.S. economic prosperity, but also to increase civic participation levels and strengthen our democracy.”

While Latino undergraduates overwhelmingly tend to enroll in HSIs in pursuit of this educational training, Dr. Molina emphasized the need to go beyond enrollment counts to support historically excluded students.

“In order to better prepare the Latino students who will make up the future electorate, public servants and policymakers, HSIs really need to focus on the ‘S’ (‘Serving’) in ‘HSI,’” Dr. Molina said. “For places like ASU, which is a relatively new HSI, and UCLA, which aspires to become an HSI, HACU was a great opportunity for us to learn from the universities who have been doing this work for a long time. They were able to share their insights about what it means to serve students and how they are innovating as the demographic itself is changing.”

Nationally, there are just 21 Hispanic Serving Research Institutes. As one of the highest-ranked research universities in the world, UCLA has the opportunity to orient its teaching and research agendas to better serve Latino communities and learn from peer institutions like ASU. Providing Latino students with access to high-quality research education that explicitly serves their needs will help prepare them to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow. The future prosperity of our nation depends on it.

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Raul Hinojosa - The Trump Paradox

The Trump Paradox – w author Raúl Hinojosa (video)

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The Trump Paradox: Migration, Trade, and Racial Politics in US-Mexico Integration – A collection of essays from top scholars in the US and Mexico. LA Social Science spoke with UCLA professor Raúl Hinojosa, Lead Author and Editor, who discusses the importance of the trade and immigration policies surrounding US-Mexico relations, and the impacts of those policies. Dr. Hinojosa also addresses some of the myths associated with voter beliefs, and explains the paradox.

0:04 – Intro
0:48 – Main argument and contribution of the book
4:50 – New politics around Mexico-US trade and migration
8:55 – How do current racial politics affect future politics?
12:07 – How does this pertain to contemporary times and locality?

UCLA César E. Chavez Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies – https://chavez.ucla.edu

Interviewer: Dr. Celia Lacayo, Associate Director of Community Engagement, UCLA Social Sciences & Professor Chicana/o & Central American Studies and African American Studies Department

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UCLA Labor Center hosts ‘Opportunity For All’ teach-in

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Ju Hong, director of the Dream Resource Center

Ju Hong, director of the Dream Resource Center. (Shengfeng Chien/Daily Bruin staff)

On Nov. 1, the UCLA Labor Center co-hosted a teach-in about the history and struggle of undocumented students to amplify the “Opportunity for All” campaign, a new statewide effort led by undocumented student organizers, the Center for Immigration Law and Policy (CILP) at the UCLA School of Law and the UCLA Labor Center urging the University of California system to remove employment barriers impacting thousands of undocumented students.

The teach-in featured presentations from students, faculty and legal experts, as well as screenings of short films “Seattle Underground Railroad” and “Undocumented & Unafraid: Tam Tran & Cinthya Felix and the Immigrant Youth Movement.” Attendees heard firsthand accounts from undocumented students and their friends and family on the difficulties they face navigating the University of California system with restricted work opportunities.

“For over 15 years, UCLA undocumented students have been at the forefront of the fight for immigrant rights and immigrant justice,” said Kent Wong, director of the UCLA Labor Center. He spoke about the historical success of the immigrant youth movement in advancing key legislation, including California Assembly Bill 540, the California DREAM Act and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), each of which he said serves as “a reflection of the power of the immigrant youth movement.”

“The Opportunity For All campaign is yet another defining moment for the immigrant youth movement. The campaign is launching at a critical time in history, because this year is the 10th anniversary of DACA,” said Ju Hong, director of the UCLA Dream Resource Center. “Some of the biggest lessons I learned from the DACA fight is that we have to challenge the system, take bold actions and lean on each other.”

Alondra Banda (pictured), a speaker at the teach-in

Alondra Banda (pictured), a speaker at the teach-in. (Shengfeng Chien/Daily Bruin staff)

Approximately 44,326 undocumented college students in California currently do not have equal access to on-campus opportunities — such as work-study jobs, paid internships and graduate student research — due to the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), a federal prohibition on hiring undocumented people. However, a recent analysis conducted by CILP reveals that IRCA does not restrict hiring practices by state entities, including the University of California. So far, 28 immigration and constitutional law scholars from across the U.S. have signed a letter supporting CILP’s analysis, and more than 2,000 community members have signed a public letter of support.

“The history of progress at the UC is written by the hands of students,” said Jeffry Umaña Muñoz, an undocumented third year student. “More specifically than that, the nationwide advancement of progress for immigrant justice is rooted right here at the UC. We stand here today as living proof of the progress that comes from supporting undocumented communities directly, exemplifying the excellence, critical consciousness and care for community that the UC system instills in each of its students.”

Carlos Alarcón, a UCLA graduate student of public policy.

Carlos Alarcón, a UCLA graduate student of public policy. (Shengfeng Chien/Daily Bruin staff)

Katie Garamendia, a third-year student, spoke about her grandfather’s experience as a bracero, a farm laborer subjected to harsh, exploitative work conditions for little pay despite promises of workplace protection and fair pay from the U.S. government. For her, the Opportunity for All campaign offers a way to recognize the diligence, courage and accomplishments of immigrants that have been historically ignored.

“Today, we have an opportunity to be different: to change a narrative in the trajectory of righting the wrongs we have made and to actually fulfill the promises that were made to our ancestors, immigrant workers and people like my grandfather,” said Garamendia.

On Nov. 15, student leaders will attend the University of California board of regents meeting in San Francisco to continue advancing the campaign.

“I am a chingona activist fighting for my immigrant community to be recognized for their humanity, not their merit,” said Karely Amaya, an undocumented student leader pursuing a public policy degree. “The University of California has both an opportunity and an obligation to remove barriers to employment for all students, on all 10 of their campuses, regardless of immigration status.”

Watch a recording of the teach-in on Facebook

Original Article by Anna Dai-Liu – for DailyBruin

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Rosario Majano headshot

LPPI Staff Bring Insights and Accountability to Policymaking

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New UCLA LPPI Staff Bring Insights and Accountability to Policymaking Ahead of the 2022 Midterm Elections

By Mirian Palacios Cruz

With the 2022 midterm elections nearing, the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (UCLA LPPI) has been making it clear that candidates must prioritize the needs of Latino voters and other communities of color. As Latinos are one of the key voting blocs capable of deciding election outcomes, it is important that parties engage this growing electorate with policy proposals that center their wellbeing. However, engagement must not end once election season is over. UCLA LPPI’s growing team of research and policy analysts are leading the way in holding lawmakers and change agents accountable to Latino communities for the next two years and beyond.

Jie Zong headshot

Jie Zong

During elections, Latino outreach is sometimes overlooked on the grounds that there is not enough data available to describe Latinos’ electoral patterns. To address this gap, UCLA LPPI is launching the U.S. Latino Data Hub led by the institute’s new Senior Research Analyst Jie Zong. As a public multi-issue repository of digestible, reliable and actionable information on Latinos and other groups, the Latino Data Hub will be accessible to elected officials seeking to better understand the constituents they are serving.

“Focusing on 10 critical issue areas – including demography, economic opportunity and mobility, education, health coverage, housing and voting rights –, the Latino Data Hub will equip policymakers with the insights necessary to design and promote policies that improve the lives of Latinos and communities of color,” Zong explained.

Rosario Majano headshot

Rosario Majano

The data hub’s focus on economic mobility is helping inform the work of Rosario Majano, a new Research Analyst at UCLA LPPI who is studying the impact of the pandemic on Latino entrepreneurship. As part of a joint small business research initiative between UCLA LPPI and the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge, Majano’s team will also address the resources communities of color will need as they grapple with the transition to a low-carbon economy. In the context of rising economic uncertainty and the passage of the Inflation Reduction and Recovery Act, Majano said that this project will help UCLA LPPI understand the policy implications on Latino businesses as well as other businesses within historically underserved communities.

“By evaluating the obstacles Latino entrepreneurs face to accessing capital and technology – as well as assessing their engagement in environmental sustainability practices –, we can better understand the landscape of issues directly affecting small businesses and consequently gain a glimpse into the political concerns of small business owners,” said Majano.

Cesar Montoya headshot

Cesar Montoya

In addition to applied research, UCLA LPPI understands the key role that the news media plays in shaping policy debates – which too often leaves out the voices of Latinos. Cesar Montoya, who recently joined UCLA LPPI as a Senior Policy Analyst, is leading an initiative with the Los Angeles Times to increase the visibility of Latinos in public narratives. Through translating academic research into stories that spotlight Latinos’ concerns and contributions, this partnership seeks to expand decision makers’  perception of the American identity.

“By uplifting Latino voices in the media and civic processes, we can work together to bring all communities to key decision-making tables to create a more equitable future,” Montoya noted.

The outcome of the 2022 midterm elections will indicate how much advancement has been made in the last two years to transform Latino political inclusion and representation. Above all, elected officials and political parties have a responsibility to recognize that Latino engagement requires more than investment – it requires leveraging data analysis and a commitment to bolstering public narratives that reflect the impact and contributions of the nation’s growing Latino communities.

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Celina Avalos Jaramillo headshot

UCLA LPPI Policy Fellows Fight for an Inclusive Democracy

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UCLA LPPI Policy Fellows Fight for an Inclusive Democracy During the Midterm Elections and Beyond

By: Alise Brillault

As we approach the 2022 midterm elections, the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (UCLA LPPI) is working to advance an inclusive democracy that reflects the shifting demographics of the United States. At 19% of the population, Latinos are a youthful and diverse demographic group whose votes are consequential and whose perspectives need to be centered. Not only were they responsible for 51% of U.S. population growth in the last decade, but six out of ten Latinos are of Millennial age or younger.

However, increasing attacks on voting rights in key states threaten to dilute the participation of Latinos and other communities of color in our democracy. These assaults will continue until we build the infrastructure needed to ensure everyone who wants to cast a ballot and make their voices heard has the opportunity to do so.

Through its student fellowship program, UCLA LPPI is building a pipeline of young leaders who are taking on the challenge of ensuring our political system works for everyone. Through hands-on training in areas such as voting rights and election data analysis, students are exposed to the policy challenges of today and are provided the tools necessary to inform a better tomorrow. Alumni of the program go on to shape policy making through influential roles in sectors such as state and federal government, civil society organizations and beyond.

Sebastian Cazares in a Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees meeting

UCLA LPPI Policy Fellow Sebastian Cazares in a Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees meeting.

One such leader, Sebastian Cazares, has already made history as Los Angeles County’s youngest elected official – while working as a policy fellow with the UCLA LPPI Voting Rights Project. Having recently graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in Chicana/o and Central American studies, Cazares has entered his first year of UCLA’s master of public policy program while serving as a member of the Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees. According to Cazares, knowledge he has gained from UCLA LPPI has provided guidance for his own work as an elected official – and in turn, his on-the-ground perspective has informed his advocacy work within the Voting Rights Project:

“As a governing board member, I approved my own school board district during the recent redistricting process in a manner consistent with defending civil rights and voting rights. I also sued the City of Santa Clarita and won in a landmark victory, defeating one of the last cities in Los Angeles County to utilize an election system that is proven to disenfranchise Latinos. Both of my personal accomplishments came to fruition due to the incredible education provided by UCLA’s Political Science and Chicano Studies undergraduate programs, the UCLA Luskin School and training I gained from the Latino Politics and Policy Institute.”

Celina Avalos Jaramillo headshot

Alumna Celina Avalos Jaramillo

Likewise, the skills and experience that alumna Celina Avalos Jaramillo gained during her fellowship at UCLA LPPI continue to inform her work as a voting rights advocate and master of public policy candidate at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy. While at UCLA LPPI conducting research on topics focused on expanding opportunity for all – from voting rights to health care and criminal justice reform – Avalos Jaramilo co-led an on-campus coalition that increased student voter turnout in the 2018 elections by 500%. Since graduating with her bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA, she has worked with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the U.S. Department of Justice to protect the right to vote.

“I understand what it means to be disenfranchised from the political process and excluded from most public policies,” Avalos Jaramillo revealed. “UCLA LPPI gave me the confidence that I needed as a young Latina from the Eastern Coachella Valley to strive to ensure that every American has the right to live a prosperous, healthy and just life – not just a select few.”

Yaritza Gonzalez headshot

Yaritza Gonzalez

In addition to her on- and off-campus leadership roles, policy fellow Yaritza González Rodríguez is currently engaged in expanding access to the ballot box through her work with the UCLA LPPI Voting Rights Project,. A second-year master of public policy student at the UCLA Luskin School, González Rodríguez has supported the Voting Rights Project on key initiatives to understand different demographic groups’ voting behaviors. These analyses have provided the California Secretary of State with important data on patterns of voting, such as which groups tend to vote by mail as opposed to in-person.

González Rodríguez was recently elected as Director of Legislative Affairs for the University of California Graduate and Professional Council. In this capacity, she disseminates information on how to vote for California propositions and advocates for equitable policy changes within the UC System.  She has also organized community events to endorse candidates and educate on the redistricting process through her role as a Board Member for the Los Angeles County Young Democrats.

“UCLA LPPI and the Voting Rights Project have given me the opportunity to work on important voting rights research and cases that aim to promote an inclusive democracy,” González Rodríguez said. “These experiences inform my other leadership roles, including on critical issues such as redistricting.”

UCLA LPPI is supporting the development of the BIPOC leaders of today and tomorrow who are protecting and expanding voting rights while building a fair and inclusive democracy grounded in equity and justice. These policy fellows backfill the nation’s leadership vacuum by increasing the capacity of new voices to advocate for the needs of underserved communities. This creates new pathways for progress grounded in data and research that ensures no one is left behind.

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Trash Talk interview with Author

Trash Talk: Anti-Obama Lore and Race in the 21st Century – Video

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“Trash Talk: Anti-Obama Lore and Race in the Twenty-First Century” explores the rumors, legends, and conspiracy theories surrounding Barack Obama since his initial run for President in 2004, and continuing to present day. We spoke with author and professor Patricia A. Turner (Departments of African American Studies, and World Arts and Culture/Dance) who discusses how these rumors, legends, and lore often focus on identity by attacking Barack Obama’s faith, patriotism, sexual orientation, and citizenship, and speaks to the impact of such attacks on the political and sociological landscape both now and throughout history.

0:04 – Intro
0:46 – Main argument and contribution of the book
1:38 – Description of Anti-Obama lore
4:18 – Did you think Obama’s presidency would constitute a post-racial America?
6:32 – Why should this folklore be taken into account?
8:06 – Why is this a critical book to read and/or assign?

Dept. African American Studies – https://afam.ucla.edu
Dept. of World Arts and Culture/Dance – https://www.wacd.ucla.edu
Arthur Ashe Legacy Program – https://arthurashe.ucla.edu

Interviewer: Dr. Celia Lacayo, Associate Director of Community Engagement, UCLA Social Sciences & Professor Chicana/o & Central American Studies and African American Studies Department

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Engaging with the world: Q&A with Abel Valenzuela, interim dean of social sciences

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Abel Valenzuela Jr. has been a faculty member in the UCLA College’s Division of Social Sciences for nearly three decades, serving as a professor of labor studies, Chicana/o and Central American studies, and urban planning. He’s also the director of UCLA’s Institute for Research on Labor and Employment and a nationally recognized authority on labor issues, immigration, and urban poverty and inequality.

Last month, Valenzuela took on the role of interim dean of social sciences following the appointment of the division’s former dean, Darnell Hunt, to the post of executive vice chancellor and provost. He will remain in the position through the end of the 2023–24 academic year.

Valenzuela spoke to us about charting a path forward for the division, the importance of public engagement and how working as a dishwasher and “carwashero” in his early years instilled a work ethic that still drives him.

What does it mean to follow in the footsteps of former Dean Hunt?

Darnell Hunt is a longstanding faculty member and a gifted administrator and scholar who has pushed his discipline and the social sciences division on a formidable pathway of local and civic engagement, problem-solving and driving policy. He’s done this by drawing on UCLA’s greatest talent — its faculty and student body.

During my own leadership of the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, I was able to enhance our well-established reputation for engaging Los Angeles through empirical, policy-driven research and by providing our students with research opportunities on topics important to their own lives. In my work, I often consulted with Dean Hunt to share benchmarks, discuss opportunities and ensure that our work was aligned and supported by the division. He was instrumental to our growth and success.

As I look ahead to this next chapter, I feel honored to continue his mission, and I’m confident that our shared efforts will enhance and strengthen UCLA’s public mission and dedication to excellence in problem-solving in academic research, public policy and other areas that impact the world and people’s lives.

What qualities make the social sciences division special?

The division is large and robust and includes nearly 20 academic departments and programs — and it’s driven by brilliantly accomplished faculty and students who engage deeply and thoughtfully with each other.

That idea of engagement is paramount — not only within the university but, importantly, with the broader world. The research being done in our division engages every corner of our city and our world, and it has a formidable impact. I continue to be amazed, as I reflect on my 30 years at UCLA, at all the accomplishments and discoveries our division makes on a regular basis. When I travel, I marvel at the impact our alumni are having in the world — their reach is seemingly everywhere you turn.

What are your top priorities as interim dean?

Dean Hunt was an excellent steward of the division, and his visionary and steadfast focus on changing the world through local engagement and on promoting social science that matters and that focuses on the public good are all priorities that align with my own work and philosophy. In my new leadership role, that vision will continue.

In addition, his dedication to faculty recruitment and retention and to advocating for our division with senior leadership are priorities I will be embracing as interim dean.

And finally, I intend to devote my attention to two key matters: staff morale and workplace issues, and graduate student funding — both critical to maintaining excellence in our division, as well as our competitive edge.

How can the members of the division show support now and going forward?

We can build community through reaching out to each other and also by being cognizant of the fact that we are navigating uncertain times. We need to be patient, respectful of others and kind to a fault in supporting one another.

Secondly, if you have the resources and are able to give, give to UCLA so that we can redistribute your generosity in the form of fellowships, summer internships, and in other ways that build community and support our students through research and similar opportunities.

You’ve been a teacher for a long time. What does teaching mean to you?

Teaching is connecting. It’s gratifying and exhilarating. It’s also a lot of hard work. Teaching is reciprocal — you learn when you teach. Some of the best teachers and classes in the world are here at UCLA.

My favorite advice to share with students when we discuss civic, cultural and other types of interventions is that the research process is long, and when you’re trying to impact policy, that impact is incremental. Patience is a virtue, and if you have it, you can use it in meaningful and effective ways. Small, steady steps and forward movement are the key to winning — our work is a marathon, not a race.

Is there an interesting or little-known fact about you we could share?

As a teenager, I worked at McDonald’s; as a Union 76 “carwashero” — a vacuum attendant, to be precise; as a dishwasher at White Memorial Hospital in Boyle Heights; and shortly after high school graduation, I became a bank teller. Hard work and multiple skill sets have always been a part of my experience and will guide my work ethic for the division.

How will you determine whether you’ve been successful?

Beyond the standard metrics UCLA uses to evaluate deans, I’ll leave it up to my colleagues — department chairs, research unit directors, faculty members and students — to say if my work as interim dean surpassed their expectations and standards. At UCLA, we’re all very vocal!

Finally, I’ll constantly remind myself that enhancing student success and excellence in academic outcomes is a primary catalyst in all of my decision-making.

I’m honored, humbled and thankful to the campus’s senior leadership and to Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Hunt for their confidence in me as I undertake this new leadership assignment.

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UCLA LPPI Faculty Experts Shape the Narrative on Latino Communities with Prominent Coverage in Media

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ABC7’s Anabel Muñoz (left) speaks with UCLA Latino Policy and Politics expert, Melissa Chinchilla (right) about the rise of Latino homelessness in Los Angeles

By Alise Brillault

The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (UCLA LPPI) maintains a talented bench of over 40 faculty experts whose diverse areas of research and expertise are helping shape public narratives in American politics and driving the media’s focus on the unique experiences of the nation’s growing Latino communities.

Media and the press play a powerful role as the arbiters in deciding who gets to be a part of the American story –  and despite the numerosity of Latino communities throughout the U.S., Latinos still remain largely invisible in the media and in policy debates. As UCLA LPPI research has demonstrated, this lack of representation means that Latinos, their lives, their concerns, and their triumphs are left out of the national narrative and the public’s perception of the American identity.

UCLA LPPI faculty experts are leading the charge in overturning these exclusionary narratives by spotlighting the rich and nuanced experiences of Latino communities, influencing policy debates and the raising visibility of the Latino community. The coverage that these experts have been receiving in prominent news outlets add a unique Latino lens to every emerging policy debate and national political development.

Dr. Melissa Chinchilla, assistant project scientist at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and health services specialist at the VA of Greater Los Angeles, is a leading expert on Latino homelessness affiliated with UCLA LPPI. Her work has been featured in recent media stories about the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s latest homeless count. Outlets including ABC7 and LAist have sought out Chinchilla’s expertise in understanding why the population of unhoused Latinos in Los Angeles has grown by 26% in the last two years – the highest rate of any racial or ethnic group.

“These news features are helping address the invisibility of the Latino community within the homelessness crisis,” Chinchilla said. “Many Latinos who live in overcrowded or substandard housing have historically been overlooked in narratives about homelessness. However, with the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of Latinos entering the formal homeless system, it is more critical than ever to center the needs of our most vulnerable community members in the media and beyond.”

An assistant professor of environmental policy and urban planning at UC Irvine, Dr. Michael Méndez is another UCLA LPPI expert whose research has been heavily featured in news coverage around climate change and recent environmental disasters. From NPR, to the Los Angeles Times, to ABC7, Méndez has been a go-to source for national news outlets in understanding the ramifications of extreme weather events and natural disasters on Latino and immigrant communities.

“Latinos have a long history of leading the way on climate action, given that they are disproportionately affected by climate-related extreme weather and natural disasters,” explained Méndez. “The media plays a key role in bringing these stories to light so that environmental policy discussions and decisions led by our policymakers meaningfully prioritize the unique needs and perspectives of Latino communities.”

UCLA LPPI expert Dr. David Hayes-Bautista’s latest research centering the economic contributions of Latinos has been highlighted in leading news outlets including NBC and Al Día. Hayes-Bautista, director of the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture, co-authored the Latino Donor Collaborative’s 2022 U.S. Latino GDP report demonstrating that U.S. Latinos would represent the 5th largest economy in the world if they were an independent country. U.S. Latinos’ economic output would put them ahead of nations including the United Kingdom, India, and France.

“The results of this study directly contradict the prevalent stereotypes of Latinos as ‘lazy’ or ‘criminal’ often perpetuated by the media. Sharing these data with prominent news outlets allows us to illuminate how hardworking Latinos truly are and how valuable they are to the health and growth of the U.S. economy, now and into the future.” said Hayes-Bautista.

Increased media attention on UCLA LPPI experts’ innovative research expands visibility on the issues that Latinos care about most. It helps build public awareness and urgency around the need to expand resources and opportunities for the country’s youthful Latino communities. And above all, it showcases the contributions of Latinos as leaders in bringing forth a more prosperous, environmentally resilient, and socially equitable nation.

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