Doctoral Student, School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia

Christine received her B.S. in Human Developmental Sciences with a specialization in Equity and Diversity from UC San Diego, and M.A. in Developmental Psychology program at San Francisco State. Her research interests include: ethnic-racial socialization, positive youth development, and the advancing the well-being of Black youth across the diaspora.

Graduate Student, Developmental Psychology, San Francisco State University

Jasmine is a part of the SF Scholar program, completing their BA in Psychology and her MA in Developmental Psychology at SF State. They are interested supporting LGBTQ+ youth from immigrant-origin backgrounds, specifically Central American and Mexican immigrants. Her research interests focuses on how trauma impacts immigrant families across cultures. 

Graduate Student, Developmental Psychology, San Francisco State University  

Taleah received her B.S in Psychology and Literature from Park University, she is currently pursuing her master's degree in Developmental Psychology at SF State. Her research interests include gender studies, the social and economic effect of gender roles in modern society, mixed youth and the role identity plays on straddling the fence of ethnicities as well as trauma in adolescents. She is currently in her first year of graduate school and working in Dr. Karras lab. 

Graduate Student, Developmental Psychology, San Francisco State University

Nada received her BA in Psychology from San Francisco State University. Currently, she is pursuing a master’s degree in Developmental Psychology at SF State. Her current research interests include first-generation and second-generation identity formation, family dynamics, the political climate, and stereotypes, with a focus on Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) communities.

Doctoral Candidate, Applied Developmental Psychology, Fordham University

Jasmine Johnson is from Los Angeles, CA and holds a BA in psychology from San Francisco State University and a MA in applied psychology from NYU's Human Development and Social Intervention program. Her research interests are : 1) gender and racial stereotypes ; 2) the development of ethnic-racial identity development among youth of color; and 3) sociopolitical development among youth of color.

Undergraduate Student, Psychology, San Francisco State University

Monica (she/her) is an undergraduate at SFSU minoring in psychology. She plans to attend graduate school to obtain her doctorate degree. She hopes to become a psychologist who can work with people who are incarcerated as well as to help minority youth improve their mental health. My research interests include prison reform, attachment styles, and consciousness regarding wellbeing. 

Assistant Professor, Psychology, Bates College

Dr. Maker Castro is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Bates College. Her PhD is from the Human Development and Psychology program at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Her research interests include youth civic engagement and ethnic-racial identity development, particularly in online and school contexts. 

Graduate Student, Developmental Psychology, San Francisco State University

Gabrielle received her BS in Psychology from the University of the Philippines Diliman. Currently, she is pursuing a master’s degree in Developmental Psychology at SF State. Her research interests include family dynamics, parenting, and intergenerational trauma across cultures. She also aims to study the roles of racial and ethnic identity formation and intercultural cooperation in youth development, motivation, and personality.

Graduate Student, Developmental Psychology, San Francisco State University  

Kaylahnie graduated from University of California, Davis in 2023 with a BA in Psychology and double minor in Political Science and Human Rights. Currently, she is a graduate student in the Developmental Psychology program at San Francisco State University. Her research interests include sociopolitical development, and early childhood interventions for marginalized youth.

Doctoral Student, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin

Sadaf graduated from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2017 with a B.A in Anthropology. In addition, she completed a post-baccalaureate program in Psychological Science at University of California, Irvine (UCI) in Spring 2022. In 2024 she completed her M.A. in Developmental Psychology at San Francisco State University. Her interests include examining mechanisms by which trauma and adversity impact underserved populations, particularly immigrant and refugee populations. 

Undergraduate Student, Psychology, San Francisco State University

Angelia received her BA in Psychology and Ethnic Studies from SFSU, and is currently in the process of applying for graduate programs. Her research passion includes how marginalized groups of children face neurological impacts caused by social determinants. She is deeply connected to mental health treatment and the development and effects of epigenetics in children and adults.

Graduate Student, Developmental Psychology, San Francisco State University  

Minyan is a graduate student at San Francisco State University, and pursuing her Master’s in Developmental Psychology. Her current research interests include the formation of identity, especially how identities are affected by race, gender, regions, and the internet. She is also interested in how immigrant-origin youth handle identity conflict when they identify with multiple cultural backgrounds.

Undergraduate Student, Psychology, San Francisco State University

Shayma is an undergraduate student in psychology at SFSU. She is interested in research that focuses on the multi-cultural variety of race and ethnicity. Her passion is to pursue graduate study in the same field and focus on the effect of culture, race, and ethnicity on human behavior.

Graduate Student, Developmental Psychology, San Francisco State University

Micah received their BA in Psychology from Hawai’i Pacific University in Spring 2022. They are currently a graduate student in the Developmental Psychology program at SFSU. Their research interests primarily focus on the intersections of race, religion, and sexuality in the development of personal identity in young adults and adolescents.

Graduate Student, Developmental Psychology, San Francisco State University

Valerie was born and raised in San Diego, CA. She is a first generation transfer student at SFSU pursuing a BA in Psychology and minor in Education. Her research interests include childhood trauma and how such events impact an individual's life course and later psychological adjustment. 

Undergraduate Student, Psychology, San Francisco State University

Kenzie received her BA in Psychology from SFSU, and is currently in the process of applying for graduate programs. She hopes to obtain her LMFT. Some of her research interests include consciousness, trauma in relationships, and attachment styles. She also has interest in looking at how mental health is viewed across various cultures.

Doctoral Student, Human Development & Psychology, UCLA

Patricia is a doctoral student in the Human Development and Psychology program at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education & Information Studies. Her research interest includes the identity and psychosocial development of Black and Latinx youth in segregated and integrated schools.

Psychology, UCLA

Amanda received a BA in Psychology from University of California, Los Angeles. She is currently applying to school counseling programs for the Fall 2021 cycle to pursue a career as a High School counselor. As a first generation college graduate, she hopes to mentor and empower youth to achieve a higher education.

Sociology Major, Film Minor, UCLA

Noelle received her BA in Sociology from UCLA and is currently an AmeriCorps VISTA with Step Up Women's Network. She has a passion for data analysis and is interested in the impact of positive youth development programs on under-resourced communities.

Undergraduate Student, Sociology Major, Education Minor, UCLA

Fabiola is completing her BA in Sociology with a minor in Education at UCLA. She was born and raised in Southeast Los Angeles, is a first generation Latina college student and hopes to become a child therapist in the future. Fabiola is a passionate advocate for children’s voices and loves working with kids to help them become the best version of themselves. 

Psychology, UCSC 

Emily is currently a PsyD student at Alliant International University. She received her BA in Psychology at UCSC along with a minor in Language Studies Chinese. Her research interests focus mainly on the Asian American population, and particularly, resilience in Asian American children. 

Sociology Major, Chicanx Studies Minor, Geographic Information Systems and Technology Minor, UCLA

Sociology Major, UCLA

Samantha received her B.A. in Sociology at UCLA. Her research interests include understanding the experiences, factors, and conditions that facilitate success among students of color. She is currently applying to graduate programs in higher education where she aims to further explore the role that educators play in fostering inclusive environments for students.

Undergraduate Student, Psychology, San Francisco State University

Nora Kahl is an undergraduate psychology student at SFSU. Her research interests include political psychology, particularly how war and political persecution affect children's mental health and development. She is mainly interested in improving our understanding of the psychological aspects of refugee integration and the resulting social impact on host societies.

Graduate Student, Developmental Psychology, San Francisco State University

Devyn received his BA in Psychology from CSU San Marcos, and is currently a graduate student in the Developmental Psychology program at SFSU. His interests focus on the development of gender roles and male socialization. 

Undergraduate Student, Psychology, San Francisco State University

 Madalyn is an undergrad student at SF State completing her Bachelor's in Psychology. She aspires to further her education by studying School Psychology. Madalyn plans to use her research to inform those working in the educational community that a child's culture plays a significant role in their mental health. She also plans to educate schools on how to better advocate for their LGBTQ+ students.

Undergraduate Student, Biology and Psychology Major, Providence College

Christian is pursuing his BS in Biology and Psychology at Providence College. He is part of the Neuroscience Certificate Program and pre-med track at PC. His interests include understanding how the brain works and the different developmental stages it endures.

Anthropology, UCLA

Lashae received her BS in Anthropology from UCLA. She is interested in ethnic/racial identity and socialization in minorities and connecting this with disparities in healthcare.

Doctoral Student, Human Development & Psychology, UCLA

Stephanie is a doctoral student in the Human Development and Psychology program at UCLA's Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Her research interests center around parent-child relationships and family dynamics, and how it shapes educational perspectives and well-being for Vietnamese youth.

Doctoral Student, Human Development & Psychology, UCLA

Alfredo Novoa is a doctoral student in the Human Development and Psychology program at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education & Information Studies. He is interested in understanding the bioecological factors that shape the sociocultural experiences and academic development of immigrant-origin youth.

Doctoral Student, Education, Harvard University

Anakaren received her BA in psychology from the University of CA, Santa Cruz. She is currently a doctoral student in the Department of Education at Harvard University. Her research interests include understanding the powerful impact counterspaces in school settings have for immigrant origin/undocumented students in terms of personal and academic trajectory. 

Developmental Psychology, San Francisco State University

Gabriela is a Maya K’iche’ woman based in the Bay Area, who earned her M.A. in Developmental Psychology from SFSU. Gabriela is an advocate for children’s human rights and building inclusive and thriving communities for all, especially underrepresented and underserved children. Her qualitative thesis, Amplifying Caribbean Adolescents’ Voices on Socioeconomic Inequities at the Intersection of Autonomy and Human Rights, demonstrates her aim towards progress in children’s human rights and social justice using developmental science to advance equity and justice for a better world for all.

Developmental Psychology, San Francisco State University

Amee is from North Hollywood, CA and received her B.A. in Psychology at SFSU. She is currently enrolled as a graduate student and working on her M.A. in Developmental Psychology at SFSU. Her research interests focus on time perspective and parenting dynamics. 

Graduate Student, Developmental Psychology, San Francisco State University

Chloe received her BA in Psychology and Asian American Studies at SFSU. She is currently a graduate student at SFSU in the Developmental Psychology program. Her research interests include understanding how intersectionality and intergenerational trauma affect the mental and racial identity development of Queer Asian Americans.

Graduate Student, School Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Boston 

Reshma received her Masters’ in Education with a Human Development and Psychology concentration from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is a first-year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at University of Massachusetts, Boston. Her research interests include impact of early childhood stressors on social emotional development and factors that contribute to resilience in children. 

Undergraduate Student, Psychology, San Francisco State University  

Jannely will be receiving her BA in Psychology this spring from SFSU. She is currently preparing for graduate school and plans to obtain her master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. She hopes to work with adolescents of color in marginalized communities after graduating with her BA. Her research interest center around youth incarceration and intergenerational trauma, specifically how trauma affects the development of youth. 

Psychology, UCLA

Florence received her BA in Psychology and Education Studies minor from UCLA, and currently works at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research as a data dissemination coordinator for the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) study. Her research interests focus primarily on ethnic minority mental health and the development of culturally competent interventions/policies, with a specific interest in the populations of Asian immigrants and Asian Americans.

Human Development and Psychology, UCLA

Micaela received her M.A. in Education with a Human Development and Psychology concentration from University of California, Los Angeles. Her research interests include improving academic outcomes, and school wellbeing for historically marginalized youth and youth of color.