Embedded Files
Timely recent essay: "Who is Un-American?"
Community matters.
Community matters.
As a engaged scholar, intersectional feminist, and long-time organizer and activist, I work actively with communities outside of my campus.
As a engaged scholar, intersectional feminist, and long-time organizer and activist, I work actively with communities outside of my campus.
I am founder and co-organizer of the Summer of Solidarity (SOS) coalition, which catalyzes uplift of community-minded efforts that make our world better for future generations, despite the odds.
I am founder and co-organizer of the Summer of Solidarity (SOS) coalition, which catalyzes uplift of community-minded efforts that make our world better for future generations, despite the odds.
Over a month period in summer, 2025, SOS hosted five free, all-ages, public events in Urbana, Illinois to celebrate caring, visionary collaborative leaders who make all of us stronger, and to challenge violence that targets, endangers, and criminalizes our communities.
Over a month period in summer, 2025, SOS hosted five free, all-ages, public events in Urbana, Illinois to celebrate caring, visionary collaborative leaders who make all of us stronger, and to challenge violence that targets, endangers, and criminalizes our communities.
I began the Localization Allies ("LA") project in 2018. LA aims to listen to and learn from young people while building bridges between local resources to support youth in their realities, and to encourage vibrant offline, intergenerational communities that understand youth as necessary to effective collective action, civic engagement, and social justice efforts.
I began the Localization Allies ("LA") project in 2018. LA aims to listen to and learn from young people while building bridges between local resources to support youth in their realities, and to encourage vibrant offline, intergenerational communities that understand youth as necessary to effective collective action, civic engagement, and social justice efforts.
LA has hosted numerous youth listening sessions and workshops.
LA has hosted numerous youth listening sessions and workshops.
Showing Up For Communities
Showing Up For Communities
I am an advocate for the LGBTQ+, immigrant, and undocumented community on my campus and beyond.
I am an advocate for the LGBTQ+, immigrant, and undocumented community on my campus and beyond.
I have maintained standing as a Safe Zone Ally since the program began in 2016, and I am a certified UnDocuAlly.
I have maintained standing as a Safe Zone Ally since the program began in 2016, and I am a certified UnDocuAlly.
I have been involved in anti-racist, feminist, and social justice-based grassroots and community activism for more than 30 years. I organized and played 100+ benefit shows to raise money and support for local organizations advancing collective well-being . Beyond this, my time and skills have been volunteered to numerous efforts including girls' rock camps in California, Chicago, Champaign-Urbana, IL, and NYC.
I have been involved in anti-racist, feminist, and social justice-based grassroots and community activism for more than 30 years. I organized and played 100+ benefit shows to raise money and support for local organizations advancing collective well-being . Beyond this, my time and skills have been volunteered to numerous efforts including girls' rock camps in California, Chicago, Champaign-Urbana, IL, and NYC.
Additionally, I am very active in my union, the California Faculty Association.
Additionally, I am very active in my union, the California Faculty Association.
Public Education
Public Education
I am involved in spaces urging adults to think critically about youth beyond the many demeaning and inaccurate cultural stereotypes we are taught.
I am involved in spaces urging adults to think critically about youth beyond the many demeaning and inaccurate cultural stereotypes we are taught.
For example, I designed a year-long faculty learning community that brought educators together to interrogate demeaning beliefs about U.S. Millennials. I was the staff trainer for NYC's very first Willie Mae Rock Camp for girls, and I worked as lead staff trainer for youth engineering and computer science camps, Latinx youth outreach programs, and other youth-focused efforts.
For example, I designed a year-long faculty learning community that brought educators together to interrogate demeaning beliefs about U.S. Millennials. I was the staff trainer for NYC's very first Willie Mae Rock Camp for girls, and I worked as lead staff trainer for youth engineering and computer science camps, Latinx youth outreach programs, and other youth-focused efforts.
I was an invited discussant leading the audience in thinking about adolescence, gender, and culture for California State University's performance of The Wolves, a play about adolescent-aged female soccer players put on by talented women in the Theater Department.
I was an invited discussant leading the audience in thinking about adolescence, gender, and culture for California State University's performance of The Wolves, a play about adolescent-aged female soccer players put on by talented women in the Theater Department.
AYS
AYS
I am founding advisor to the student group Ambassadors for Youth Success (AYS) at Cal State, Fresno. AYS brings together undergrads to reach out and support youth in their communities.
I am founding advisor to the student group Ambassadors for Youth Success (AYS) at Cal State, Fresno. AYS brings together undergrads to reach out and support youth in their communities.
AYS has been recognized for their work as recipient of the campus-wide annual Commitment to Service award. Additionally, AYS's undergraduate student president was named Outstanding Student Club President at the 2018 All-University Leadership Awards ceremony.
AYS has been recognized for their work as recipient of the campus-wide annual Commitment to Service award. Additionally, AYS's undergraduate student president was named Outstanding Student Club President at the 2018 All-University Leadership Awards ceremony.
I am honored to have be nominated by students for an Outstanding Student Club Advisor Award through the All-University Leadership Awards program, for departmental teaching awards, and for an Outstanding Advisor Award through the Office of Student Affairs.
I am honored to have be nominated by students for an Outstanding Student Club Advisor Award through the All-University Leadership Awards program, for departmental teaching awards, and for an Outstanding Advisor Award through the Office of Student Affairs.
GirlZone
GirlZone
I co-founded and directed GirlZone, a feminist, grassroots, volunteer-run organization in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois that organized female-led hands-on workshops, film fests, book clubs, arts shows, concerts, and three annual GrrrlFest cities-wide festivals for girls and young women. A wonderful book Girls, Feminism, and Grassroots Literacies was written about the organization by Dr. Mary P. Sheridan, a GirlZone volunteer who is now an award-winning English Professor.
I co-founded and directed GirlZone, a feminist, grassroots, volunteer-run organization in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois that organized female-led hands-on workshops, film fests, book clubs, arts shows, concerts, and three annual GrrrlFest cities-wide festivals for girls and young women. A wonderful book Girls, Feminism, and Grassroots Literacies was written about the organization by Dr. Mary P. Sheridan, a GirlZone volunteer who is now an award-winning English Professor.
In 2015, GirlZone held an 18 year reunion in which original GirlZone girls led workshops for a whole new generation of GirlZone girls.
In 2015, GirlZone held an 18 year reunion in which original GirlZone girls led workshops for a whole new generation of GirlZone girls.
We build community together!
We build community together!
Cover to the Winter 2000 GirlZone GrrrlZine
Cover to the Winter 2000 GirlZone GrrrlZine
GirlZone Martial Arts Workshop with Facilitators Verna and Diane
GirlZone Martial Arts Workshop with Facilitators Verna and Diane
GirlZone Automotives Workshop with Facilitator Tammy Missy
GirlZone Automotives Workshop with Facilitator Tammy Missy
Community Writing
Community Writing
I regularly write and translate research on youth, social technologies, media, and U.S. culture in public forums.
I regularly write and translate research on youth, social technologies, media, and U.S. culture in public forums.
Over the past 25 years, I have written articles and pieces for mainstream community media, including The Public i, The Monthly Review, The Octopus, The Optimist, The CU Cityview, and The Atlantic.
Over the past 25 years, I have written articles and pieces for mainstream community media, including The Public i, The Monthly Review, The Octopus, The Optimist, The CU Cityview, and The Atlantic.
I was a longtime journalist for alt-weekly newspapers. I also co-founded and co-edited the online community zine, Lost Control Again (LoCA), that worked to host discussions both off- Facebook and offline in face-to-face forums. LoCA appears to still have a few remnants remaining online.
I was a longtime journalist for alt-weekly newspapers. I also co-founded and co-edited the online community zine, Lost Control Again (LoCA), that worked to host discussions both off- Facebook and offline in face-to-face forums. LoCA appears to still have a few remnants remaining online.
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