Education
2023 M.A. in Applied Sociology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD
Thesis
Title: "For Us, By Us: An Ethnographic Study of Baltimore City's Latine Community Creating Meaning and Sense of Self".
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Bambi, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Public Health, University of Maryland, Baltimore City
2018 B.A. Child Development, Magna Cum Laude, California State University, Chico, Chico, CA.
2018 B.A. Asian Studies, Cum Laude, California State University, Chico State, Chico CA.
Oral History & Storytelling
Fellowships
2025 Capital District Oral History Fellowship
- 10 month fellowship developing California State Park’s oral history program & standards
- Recording 3 Mexican American family’s oral histories documenting railroad box car living & digitally archiving familial heirlooms expanding museum’s current collection
- Collaborating with Oakland Heritage Alliance documenting 16th street train station’s contribution to Great Migration & Oakland’s urban development in 1940’s by recording 5 Oakland elders’ oral histories
- Digitizing narrators’ family heirlooms for the California State Railroad Museum expanding its Latino and Black digital archive and library collections by 15 items
- Training California State Employees on oral history process & protocol
Community organizing & activism
Community-centered events
2022 Latinx Liaison, Chair, “Recuerda, Tú eres Arte”
- 1st annual bilingual workshop modeling 3 forms of storytelling: poetry, photography, & digital storytelling to Maryland’s Latine community members & partners
2022 Latinx Liaison, Chair, “Raíces y Recuerdos”
- 1st annual Latino art exhibit present Maryland’s Latine’s community culture, stories, & traditions
2023 Latinx Liaison, Chair, “De Aquí de Allá”
- Ongoing series exploring the immigrant and undocumented experience in Maryland
Conferences
2023 Graduate Assistant, Conference Organizer, 11th International Storytelling
Conference “Radical Listening Story Work for a Just Future”
- Designed Day 1 walking tour portion of 4-day conference highlighting Baltimore City’s Latine community and stories specific to Highlandtown
Conference Presentations
11th International Storytelling Conference "Radical Listening Story Work for a Just Future"
2023 Julissa Gómez Ruvalcaba, "For Us, By Us: An Ethnographic Study of Baltimore City’s Latine Community Creating Meaning and Sense of Self Through Community Events and Place"
Publications
Poetry
2025 Gómez Ruvalcaba, Julissa. “E L M E R C A D O” In DEMO. BLOG — DEMO
2025 Gómez Ruvalcaba, Julissa. “Southside” In DEMO. BLOG — DEMO
2021 La Libreta, “A phone call made my eyes water”
Digital Storytelling
2023 Gómez Ruvalcaba, Julissa. “Nestmaking.” In latinasinbaltimore.org 2024
Distinctions
2018 CSU, Chico, Department of Child Development Outstanding Student Award
2018 College of Behavioral & Social Sciences at CSU, Chico Recipient of the Valene L. Smith BSS Outstanding Student Award
2016 Broadening Horizons Award
Grants, Fellowships, and Funding Received
2025 Capital District Oral History Fellowship, (stipend $26,595/year)
2022 Graduate Student Association Research Grant, UMBC $903
2021 Shriver Peaceworker Fellowship, over $32,000 (stipend $14,500/year)
2018 Woodenfish Summer Humanistic Buddhist Monastic Life Program, $7,270 scholarship
2015 McDonald Hacer National Scholarship, $500
2015 Cien Amigos Scholarship, $1,000
2015 Alliance for Hispanic Advancement Scholarship, $250