Research
Fair Chance Housing Ordinances
In recent years, Fair Chance Housing ordinances have proliferated across the United States within cities, counties, and states as a result of work on behalf of policymakers and social activists. My dissertation focuses on analyzing the effect of Fair Chance Housing ordinances on housing outcomes for people with past convictions. I will specifically analyze if the effects varies across racial backgrounds and whether Black people, a group disproportionately impacted by the criminal legal system, have improved housing outcomes. As these Fair Chance Housing ordinances proliferate, it is essential to investigate how they are operating and whether their effects are reaching the most marginalized criminal legal system-impacted individuals.
Young Adult Reentry
Working in collaboration with researchers at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, our team has conducted two major longitudinal studies investigating the reentry experience of young adults during and after the height of COVID. We have collected data overall several years ranging from in-depth interviews to surveys, which has allowed us to investigate the various unique factors that are impacting criminal legal system-impacted young adults. This research includes an analysis that I led of the perspectives of Black and Latinx system-impacted young adults on the criminal legal system and the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. Presently, I am extending this research agenda and investigating the following areas: houselessness among system-impacted young adults, the influence of program participation on young adults’ reentry trajectory, and current literature on the effects of reentry programming differentiated by racial background.
Black and Latinx Youth in Gun Violence Prevention Organizing
In a research project that I co-led with Sara Wilf, doctoral candidate at UCLA, we investigated the experiences of Black and Latinx youth organizers in gun violence prevention organizations through semi-structured interviews. We were able to capture their negative experiences including burnout, racial discrimination, tokenization, and burden to educate white peers. Currently, I am leading an analysis of the youth organizers’ reflections on structural racism and community gun violence as the two issues are closely intertwined. Our last paper from our study will focus on how negative experiences in gun violence prevention organizing influenced the well-being and civic engagement of the youth. This work centers and uplifts the voices of Black and Latinx youth organizers, ultimately calling for greater visibility of their work and experiences organizing around an issue that has deeply impacted them and their community. Our work has been covered in The Guardian newspaper in their Guns and lies series.