Myrka Odalis Cruz Aracen

Class of 2026

Faculty Advisors: Rámon Martinez, Margaret Marietta Ramírez

Peer Mentor: Valeria Gracia Olvera

Myrka Odalis Cruz Aracen was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. Myrka graduated Stanford University with a B.A.H in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity and a B.A in Sociology. Her undergraduate thesis focused on diasporic Indigenous Oaxacan transborder connections and resistance in Ohio.

As the daughter of Zapotec immigrants, Myrka's lived experiences shape her dream of supporting immigrants. Her Zapotec roots motivate her to advocate for Indigenous Latine people—an often neglected population. She has dedicated herself to ethically engaging with these communities, leading independent research, working with local diasporic nonprofit organizations, and co-founding a school group centering Indigenous Latine intersectionality.

My research interests lie in the Indigenous Latine population, U.S. migration, and Indigenous movements throughout Latin America. Specifically, I am interested in researching Oaxaca, Mexico Indigenous pueblo communities, cultures, and reasons that drive migration to and from their ancestral homelands.