My own experiences of negotiating and constructing racial/ethnic identity while being a Multiracial Latina woman in academia motivated me to pursue research focusing on the experiences of Multiracial individuals and the role that social exclusion plays identity development.

Knowing the challenges in navigating academia as a historically underrepresented minority, I strive towards increasing inclusion, equity, and diversity in psychology, both to advance social justice and to also better our science. Below, I summarize my commitment to championing diversity and inclusion in research, mentorship, teaching, and service.

Commitment in Research

The epistemic exclusion that has devalued research of and by underrepresented minority groups presents a major barrier to carrying out inclusive and anti-racist focused research within psychological science. Further, the prevailing “white-default” or “white-centered” perspective of social-psychological experiences also excludes minority group members from both representation and involvement in psychological research. To overcome the existing barriers in conducting diversity and inclusion focused research, I am committed to pursuing diversity science practices such as utilizing large-scale collaborative research teams to aid in the recruitment of high-powered representative samples, applying various methodologies that can contribute to theoretical development, and publishing in journal special issues focused on diversity research and underrepresented populations.

Commitment in Mentorship

Students from underrepresented backgrounds are often navigating predominately White and majority spaces. Thus, I work to support my mentees to feel both comfortable and confident in their belonging within academia and other spaces. I have directly supported over a dozen underrepresented minority students’ (e.g., racial minorities, first-generation, limited-income, disabled students) access to and involvement in science through honors theses, research posters, and programs like Duke’s Vertical Integration Program (departmental summer research program), the Society for Social Psychology’s Social-Personality Undergraduate Research Program (SPSP’s SPUR), and the National Science Foundations’ Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF’s REU).

Commitment in Teaching

As an instructor, I recognize one of the best ways to foster productive discussion is through first laying groundwork for an open-minded, supportive, and respectful classroom where students can feel comfortable speaking about difficult topics. I work to actively include all my students in discussions, being sure to allow every student a chance to share thoughts in class. Furthermore, being aware of the racism within the historical foundations of social psychology, I aim to situate my teaching in a way that acknowledges and reckons with the consequences of this history. Finally, particularly in light of the disparities that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 global pandemic, I am committed to advocating for fair and equitable access to teaching materials and resources for all my students.

Commitment in Service

I am committed to supporting underrepresented communities in academia at large. Both during and after my tenure as co-editor of SPSP’s student newsletter, I composed articles for Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage month recognizing prominent scholars of color and highlighting the need for more research on racial minority populations. In Fall 2020, I served as a student member on SPSP’s Equity and Anti-Racism Task Force, where we proposed recommendations for the organization on how to promote equity and justice through systemic changes. Currently, I am serving as a member of SPSP’s Eliminating Racism in Workplaces and Community Task Force where we are working on creating materials for wide-scale use to mitigate and combat racism and discrimination within academia.