Born and raised in Hawthorne, California, Dr. Bernardette Pinetta (she/her) is the daughter of Guatemalan and Mexican immigrants. Growing up in Los Angeles, she witnessed how inequitable our educational system is towards communities of color and the need for culturally relevant and social justice-oriented education. As an interdisciplinary scholar, she weaves together theories from education, psychology, and political science to contextualize how youth of color develop their ethnic-racial identity and how such views serve as key mechanisms for their orientation toward social justice. As a community-engaged scholar, she partners with schools, organizations, and young people to cultivate learning environments that are both culturally affirming and consciousness-raising.

Outside of academia, Dr. Pinetta loves hikes, reading YA novels, gardening, and her fur babies.

Iris Lazo-Cruz (she/her) is a senior Psychology major at the University of the District of Columbia. Her research interests include ethnic-racial socialization, identity development, critical consciousness, and the well-being of Black and Brown families. She is particularly passionate about examining how systems like schools, families, and communities can either support or hinder youth development, resource access, and racial equity.

Through the UC-HBCU Pathways to Psychological Sciences Program, Iris worked with Dr. Pinetta at UC Riverside during the Summer of 2025 to examine how family and school messages about race influence youth political action. Her experience deepened her commitment to community-based research, racial equity, and systems-level change.

Iris is a first-generation Salvadoran American from Washington, D.C. In her free time, she enjoys reading, taking lots and lots of pictures, and spending time with her dogs, Solita and Gigi.

Esmeralda (she/her) is a 2nd-generation Mexican American Latina raised in the Inland Empire. Informed by her lived experiences, her research interests explore the racialization process as it intersects with language. Her work investigates the experiences of AP/Honors Spanish bilingual Latine students through a raciolinguistic framework, placing the role of race and language ideologies at the forefront to describe how students develop and interpret their social worlds. She explores the confined educational pathways that are ascribed to multilingual Latine students, where they are often expected to navigate binding and contradictory perceptions imposed on racialized multilingual students. She is passionate about working towards dismantling educational inequities for multilingual Latine students.

Outside of academia, Esme enjoys coffee shops, pottery classes, K-dramas, and workout classes (yoga/cycling/pilates).

Dulce Ortiz (she/her) is a Professional MBA student at the University of California, Riverside, with a background in biology done at UCR during Undergraduate and holds a strong passion for healthcare and community well-being. She aspires to combine her scientific training and business education to pursue a career in hospital administration, where she can improve patient care, expand access to resources, and promote equity in healthcare systems.

Her experiences include community health outreach through the UCR Future Physician Leaders Pathways Program, sustainability work as a Global Food Initiative Fellow, and leadership as a Resident Advisor and student advocate with ASUCR. These roles have strengthened her skills in communication, collaboration, and problem solving, which she hopes to bring into healthcare management.

As a first generation low income immigrant student, Dulce is committed to advancing equitable healthcare, particularly for low income and minority communities.

Outside of academics, she enjoys exploring new areas of science, engaging with nature, and finding creative ways to learn and connect with others.

Carissa Perez (she/her) is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of California, Riverside, double-majoring in Psychology and Education, Society, and Human Development (ESHD). Her research interests focus on exploring the intersection of racial identity and socioeconomic status and how it influences child development and educational achievement.

Although this is her first formal research experience, Carissa has developed a strong commitment to educational equity through her work as a Breakthrough Collaborative teaching fellow and as a TFA Ignite online tutor. These roles have fueled her passion for supporting students of color and those from traditionally underserved backgrounds in navigating their educational paths. At LIBRE Lab, Carissa is excited to expand her research skills while working with youth, families, and schools to create even more supportive learning environments for adolescents of color.

Proud of her Mexican heritage, Carissa also values building community and connection beyond school and the classroom. 

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, crocheting gifts for loved ones, listening to her many music playlists, and playing music on her ukulele or clarinet.

Anureet Brar (any pronouns) is a sophomore Psychology major at the University of California, Riverside. Their future plans include pursuing a career in mental health as a therapist, and later pursuing a PhD or PsyD and working in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests include a wide variety of topics, such as social justice, neurodivergence, abnormal psychology, and more. They are hoping to pursue future research in understanding how neurodivergence affects older girls and women, particularly those from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds. 

This is Anureet Brar’s first experience with research as an RA in Dr. Pinetta’s LIBRE Lab in the Fall of 2025, and she is excited to work with the families in their community to understand the youths’ experience with social justice, diversify and enrich their understanding of community action, and cultivate learning spaces where everyone feels they can be involved. 

Anureet is a first-generation Punjabi American from Bakersfield, California. 

Anureet has a wide variety of hobbies and loves trying new things. Some things she particularly enjoys right now are reading, gaming, drawing, and watching anime.

Camille Cruz (she/her) is a second-year Education, Society, and Human Development major, minoring in Neuroscience at the University of California, Riverside. Her research interests include how societal systems influence the mental wellness of communities of color, their educational opportunities, and overall neurodevelopment. She aspires to further her education by pursuing a PhD and exploring social work. Camille is deeply passionate about self-growth, learning, and the opportunities education can provide communities.

This is Camille’s first year as an RA in the LIBRE Lab but her second position as an RA. Her current research positions have involved the development of Latinx communities and how societal systems have impacted their mental health. She is particularly excited to work with, uplift, and build connections with local communities. 

In addition to being a first-generation Filipino/Mexican-American, Camille is also a first-generation college student. 

Outside of work and school, Camille enjoys oil painting, reading, listening to music, and doing karaoke with her friends and family.

Kaelynn Cruz (she/her) is a freshman at the University of California, Riverside. Her future aspirations include becoming a dentist, graduating from UCR with a science degree in Biochemistry, and pursuing dental school. Kaelynn’s research interests include how to benefit better programs, youth programming, fix systems of oppression, and societal issues that impact the youth and low socioeconomic families. Kaelynn is deeply interested in continuing with research to grow knowledgeable and learn how to draft a bill in the near future. 

Kaelynn has been an active member within her community, being deeply involved at her Local Boys & Girls Club, where she assists in community service through the leadership program, Keystone Legacy. As well as creating a safe space as one of the founding members of the Unity Alliance Council, collaborating with her peers at her Boys & Girls Club of the Los Angeles Harbor to spread awareness, and providing access to beneficial programs through the Stronger Together Resource Fair to help support mixed-family statuses and undocumented students. Now, she utilizes her leadership experience and her passion for social justice in her first semester as a research assistant in LIBRE Lab. 

Kaelynn is a first-gen Mexican-American from San Pedro, California.

During Kaelynn's free time, she loves to sing, read action comics, dystopian-action novels, watch reality TV shows, and spend time with her family.

Natalie Moreno (she/her) is a senior Education, Society, and Human Development & Public Policy double major at the University of California, Riverside. Her research interests include Multilingual Learner experiences and pedagogy in continuation/alternative education. She is passionate about championing equity and inclusion for all students, and about how school systems can reduce the harm students face in continuation/alternative education. She is currently applying to teaching credential programs and hopes to receive her doctorate one day.

She actively works in K-12 public education and has experience interning with the Riverside County Office of Education, 826DC, and the Council for Opportunity in Education. She combines her classroom experiences and public policy background to bring in a unique perspective to the conversations surrounding equitable education for all. In her free time, she is a soccer coach and uses the sport as a platform to further connect with youth. 

Natalie is a first-generation Mexican American from San Diego, California.

Natalie enjoys writing, listening to music, and baking for her loved ones. She is a proud daughter of immigrant parents and proudly identifies as a Chicana Scholar.

Alexis Melchor (she/her) is a third-year Education, Society, and Human Development major at the University of California, Riverside. Her research interests include culturally relevant pedagogy, educational reform, and social-emotional learning. She is committed to advancing equity and inclusion in K-12 schools for students, families, staff, and faculty.

Alexis currently works with Middle School Initiatives, a program housed in UCR’s School of Education. She is actively engaged in her community and in K-12 education, particularly at the middle school level. She draws on her academic background and hands-on experience working with middle school students to inform discussions about educational equity in the Inland Empire.

Alexis is a first-generation Mexican-American from Riverside, California. She is the daughter of immigrant parents and is dedicated to creating educational opportunities for her family and community. 

In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, journaling, thrifting, staying active, and practicing self-care.

Natalie Lascarez(she/her/ella) is a second year with senior standing majoring in Education, Society, and Human Development while pursuing a minor in Sociology at the University of California, Riverside. Her research interests include how education systems impact the mental health of minority students, how effective Socio-Emotional learning has on K-12 and its impacts, and how to help students with self-advocacy in education. 

Natalie is currently working as a Student Peer Athletic Counselor within UCR’s own Intercollegiate Athletics programs, as well as the Social Chair for UCR’s very own Ballet Folklorico de UCR club. She is actively involved in caring for K-12 children within her own community, specifically in grades TK-Kinder. She combines her experiences as a past dual enrollment high school student, previous athlete, older sister, learning education, and in sociology to better support her current students and learn for future students as a future social worker. 

Natalie is a first-generation Chicana university student originally from Escondido, CA, and is now completing her undergraduate bachelor's degree in Riverside, CA. She is the eldest daughter with Mexican-American roots who is dedicated to family, community, and her own higher education. 

In her free time, she enjoys cooking, baking, dancing, singing, spending time with family and friends, and playing softball! 

Ariana Gutierrez (she/her) is a freshman at the University of California, Riverside. Her future aspirations include earning a master’s degree, a teaching credential, and eventually pursuing a Ph.D. She is interested in education policy and how cultural, social, and institutional factors shape young people’s identities, as well as how schools can better support their growth and opportunities.

Ariana is committed to serving her community and continues to build on this work at UC Riverside. She is an intern with the School of Education’s Community Engaged Learning Cohort, where she supports student needs and contributes to more inclusive learning spaces. She also serves as a School of Education Ambassador, where she represents the program at School of Education events, works as a program coordinator, and supports incoming education major students. She is also an Executive Fellow for Internal Affairs with ASUCR, where she supports basic needs initiatives and gains insight into the inner workings of student government. Additionally, she serves as a Highlander Orientation Leader, where she helps incoming students feel welcomed, supported, and connected as they transition to campus life.

Now, she applies her leadership experience and passion for social justice as a research assistant in the LIBRE Lab. Ariana is a second-generation Mexican American and Central American from the Inland Empire. 

During her free time, she loves to read, listen to music, go on walks, and spend time with her family.

Sidak Kaur (she/her) is a freshman majoring in Psychology at the University of California, Riverside. Her future plans include getting a master’s degree and pursuing a career that involves working with children. She is fascinated by the ways family, school, culture, and community all come together to influence one’s development and sense of identity. Through a degree in Psychology, she hopes to be able to understand developmental processes to better understand children and leave a meaningful impact in their lives.

This is Sidak’s first year as an RA and her first experience in research. She is excited to grow through this lab, developing new skills for her personal and professional growth and particularly being enthusiastic about being able to apply research processes to the real world. She is looking forward to doing all of these things while uplifting youth and creating a lasting impact on local communities.

Sidak is a Punjabi American from San Jose, California. Growing up with Punjabi culture and community has played a crucial role in her development and sense of identity. Her personal life experiences are a key reason behind her fascination with how identity is built through participation in various different settings. 

In her free time, she enjoys swimming, dancing, baking, crafting, and riding her bike! Most of all, she values spending quality time with her friends and family, who continue to inspire and support her personal and academic journey.

Mars Ignacio (they/them) is a second-year Psychology student at the University of California, Riverside. Their research interests include sleep and how it impacts work-related behaviors and school-related behaviors. Their future goals include going into graduate school and becoming an I/O Psychologist. They also aim to pursue their own research for the purpose of highlighting the importance of sleep and the certain structural barriers that prevent society as a whole from getting enough sleep.

This will be Mars’s first year as an RA at the LIBRE Lab. They look forward to developing their research skills, professional skills, and organization skills. They are excited to have the opportunity to use their current skills to help foster a learning environment that encourages youth to challenge systems of oppression. Mars is a Filipino American from Rancho Cucamonga, California.

In their free time, they enjoy reading YA books, watching anime, and spending time with their sisters.

Kalani Gunasekera (she/her) is a Sociology major, minoring in political science. Her research interests include racial and cultural contexts in the development of the youth, and the experiences of military kids pertaining to moving locations often. Her future plans include attaining a master’s degree, and pursuing a career in developmental psychology.

Kalani is committed to serving and creating a more inclusive and positive community within UCR. She is currently working in tutoring with 2nd-6th grades with Step Up Tutoring. She also is a mentee of the Chancellor’s Research Fellowship. She draws on her experience as both a mentee and a tutor to empower students and to foster supportive learning environments.

Kalani is a first-generation university student from San Diego, California. She is a proud first-generation Sri Lankan American and Papua New Guinean America.

In her free time, she enjoys baking, listening to music, gardening, and spending time with her friends and family.