Master's Students
Class of 2026
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 bosque: Science Education Outreach in Madre de Dios, Peru.”...
Class of 2026
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 organization After They Arrive, which helps immigrants through community service. She...
Class of 2026
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 the Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala.
In Ecuador...
Class of 2026
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...
Class of 2026
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 formed there in 1985.
After graduating in the Spring of 2023...
Class of 2026
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 an independent research project as a Ronald E. McNair...
Class of 2026
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 formerly unhoused Spanish-speaking individuals in Mountain View. She...
Class of 2025
Faculty Advisors: José David Saldívar and Héctor Hoyos
Born in Valencia, Venezuela, Paola Parra emigrated to Miami, Florida at the age of eight. In 2023, Paola graduated Magna Cum Laude from Florida International University with a B.A. in Global Studies and a focus on Sociology. Her undergraduate coursework encompassed a myriad of topics from International Relations to Latinx Sexualities and covered subjects such as anthropology, geography, and politics.
From a young age, Paola has been working hand-in-hand with Hispanic/Latine immigrants such as herself utilizing her bilingual skills to facilitate communication and understanding between communities. She has put...
Class of 2025
Faculty Advisors: Zephyr Frank and Diana Klinger
Xinwen Zhang (Qinenru Zhang) was born and raised in Guizhou, China, and graduated with honors from the University of Macau with a Bachelor of Arts in Portuguese Studies. During her undergraduate years, her coursework focused mainly on linguistics, translation, and the culture of Portuguese-speaking countries. With a special interest in Brazilian literature and gender studies, her thesis aimed to analyze the distinctive gender perspectives and interior monologues in Clarice Lispector's novel, Near to the Wild Heart, and explore the author's positive influence on the Brazilian feminist movement.
As a Master's...