Welcome to my page! I am a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology and Social Policy and I study race, education, and social movements. My dissertation, entitled The Worldbuilders: Pedagogy, Practice, and Politics in Black Power-era Independent Schools, investigates the creation and impact of the pedagogies of schools started by organizations of the Black Power social movement of the late 1960’s and 1970’s. I focus on two cases: the Oakland Community School, started by the Black Panther Party, and the New Concept Development Center, started by the Institute for Positive Education in Chicago. I use qualitative, historical, and archival methods in my research. I greatly enjoy teaching and my experiences in the classroom have inspired my research interests.
In addition to these topics, I have also done research on housing insecurity and community- based organizations serving unhoused populations.
Beyond my research, I have professional experience working on housing policy in Oakland, CA, designing and teaching a course open to the public as founder of the Community Classroom, advising and mentoring undergraduate students of various backgrounds, and offering workshops for diverse populations, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals.