Master's Students

Class of 2026

Faculty Advisor: Regina Pieck

Peer Mentor: J. Rubén Díaz-Vásquez

Kimberly Arriaga-Gonzalez was born and raised in Southern Delaware. She graduated from Salisbury University with a B.A. in Philosophy, English and a minor in Biology. During undergrad, Kimberly participated in facilitating public philosophy programs like Philosophy for Children and the Eastern Correctional Institute Book Group. She was a recipient of the 2022-2023 Fulbright English teaching fellowship in Peru, where she taught at both Colegios de Alto Rendimiento Tumbes and Madre de Dios. After receiving the 2024 Citizens Diplomacy Action Fund grant she co-led the project “Entre rio y...

Class of 2026

Faculty Advisors: Aidee Guzman, Xavier Basurto

Peer Mentor: Valeria Gracia Olvera

Arantza Caudillo is originally from Puebla, Mexico, and moved to South Florida during her early adolescence. She graduated summa cum laude from Florida State University (FSU) with a Bachelors of Science in International Affairs and Human Rights and Social Justice.

Inspired by her personal experiences, Arantza focused her undergraduate career on immigration rights. She interned at the FSU Center for the Advancement of Human Rights and the International Rescue Committee, both aid immigrants through pro-bono legal work and resettlement services, respectively. Arantza also directed the student-led...

Class of 2026

Faculty Advisor: Jonathan Rosa

Peer Mentor: J. Rubén Díaz-Vásquez

Diana Cisneros, was born in Los Angeles, California into a family with deep roots in Mesoamerica. She grew up in Detroit and majored in linguistics at Michigan State University, where she became interested in language preservation and revitalization. After graduation, she continues working with various communities in Latin America on this endeavor. Diana took summer intensive K’iche’ classes through Tulane University’s Mayan Language Institute in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. She continues to take K’iche’ language classes with tat Alfonso Nolasco, one of the founders of the K’iche’ Linguistic Community of...

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...

Class of 2026

Faculty Advisors: Mikael Wolfe, Emma Shaw Crane

Peer Mentor: Christian Roblez-Baez

Luca DeCola is from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and earned his associate's degree from Bunker Hill Community College. With the Community College Academic Honors Scholarship, he transferred to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, completing his BA in History with a minor in Afro-American Studies. For his undergraduate senior thesis, he received the Potash Travel Grant for Latin America, allowing him to travel to Bogotá, Colombia. There, Luca interviewed survivors of the State-led elimination of 5,733 members and suspected sympathizers of the Patriotic Union (UP), a left-wing political party...

Class of 2026

Faculty Advisor: Rebecca Tarlau

Peer Mentor: J. Rubén Díaz-Vásquez

I was raised in Tijuana, Mexico. Living just a short distance from the U.S.-Mexico border, I grew up close to migration and the militarization of borders. I earned a B.A. in Sociology from UC Berkeley because I’m interested in understanding these issues—specifically the relationship between forced displacement, gender, and state violence.

Before transferring from San Diego City College, I volunteered with organizations in Tijuana that support the migrant community, such as Espacio Migrante and The Border Church. While at UC Berkeley, I had the opportunity to work on...

Class of 2026

Faculty Advisor: Rose Salseda

Peer Mentor: Christian Robles-Baez

Lyzet Montañez Hurtado is a proud first-generation student from Clearlake, California. She earned her B.A. in Political Science from Stanford University, with a primary focus on Justice and Law and a secondary focus on Elections, Representation, and Governance. She also minored in Spanish and in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity (CSRE).

Lyzet brings a transnational lens to her studies, informed by her experiences regularly visiting family in Mexico and studying abroad in Spain. Through the Just Transitions Policy Lab, she co-created a StoryMap highlighting the lived experiences of...