Ashley D. Williams

Being a foster youth I have had to cope with not having parental support in the home or in my extra curricular activities. Due to this fact, I have been placed in thirty-two different schools and at least twenty-six different foster homes and group homes. Being in the foster care system has taught me to be independent, proactive and instilled in me self-determination. What has broken others has made me push myself even harder and be more than what is and was expected of me. My main support comes from mentors, teachers, and church family who have helped and encouraged me on my journey to higher education. Through this adversity I am now a 1st year Sociology major here at UCLA, and I am proud to announce that I have finished my first year with a 3.3 GPA.

I recently was able to speak at a conference in Washington regarding Foster Care and had the opportunity to share my story with so many important people and elected officials. Also I have had the proud opportunity to be one of the active participating members of the Bruin Guardian Scholars Program. This program is student ran, and was created for foster youth on UCLA's campus to gain knowledge about the resources available for them on campus and assist them with the college atmosphere. These experiences have contributed to the person I have become thus far. Even though my life has not been easy, I am eternally grateful for all of the challenges I have had to overcome in life because they have made me that much stronger.

Artel Walker

Artel Walker is a student in the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television. Artel's research meets at the intersection of media and cultural studies. His current work examines racialized images and stereotypes in mass media, specifically representations of Blackness through the prism of Academy Award winning performances. By exploring the creation and dissemination of negative stereotypes and evaluating the cultural significance of the Academy Awards as a whole, Artel hopes to reveal that by honoring stereotypical performances the Oscars elevate negative images of Blackness and create a mass culture that preserves the status quo and dominates the public's internal and external nature. Likewise, this research addresses the commodification of African American Oscar winning roles as a product that reinforces racist politics. Furthermore, this study challenges the celebration of the Hollywood culture industry's perpetuation of racialized images and stereotypes.

Luis Lopez

South Los Angeles high schools are considered some of the worst schools in Los Angeles. The media and other forms of mass-communication suggest that the schools' environment is perilous for the advancement and learning potential of students. Furthermore, it is a common belief that black and Latino students create and perpetuate the dangers in these schools rather than considering other factors that contribute to the poor quality of education. Why are students not performing to the expectations required by the state and government? Why is there a disproportion in expectations among schools? Who are the actors that are involved in creating these conditions, and why do they do so? How can schools be improved? How can black and Latino relations among students be improved?

Aleksandra van Loggerenberg

Aleksandra van Loggerenberg is exploring human exploitation of green sea turtles in the archaeological record at Sitio Drago on Isla Colon, Panama for a departmental honors thesis in anthropology. This research provides a greater time depth to our understanding of human impact on the environment.












Aresha Martinez

My research interest is in health and the access to healthcare for low income and marginalized communities. My current project is developing a primary care questionnaire for low income Latino communities. Through this project I seek to understand and highlight the cultural considerations that need to be taken into account when conducting research within Latino immigrant communities. My faculty advisor is Dr. Alex Ortega.