Who We Are

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Additional information

Funding

National Science Foundation;

Notes on contributors

Yarina Aguilar Becerra

Yarina Aguilar Becerra ( [email protected] ), the daughter of Mexican immigrants, achieved her dream of graduating with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2020 from Portland State University. She has extensive experience mentoring Latinx youth and is pursuing a career working with and for adjudicated youth. She is also a devoted madre, hija, hermana, tia, y prima (mother, daughter, sister, auntie, and cousin).

Cecilia Diojuan

Cecilia Diojuan is a Mexican American dreamer waking up to her dreams on a daily basis to make them a goal and honored to be working with people that are true examples of resilience, hard work, and dedication, despite the misfortune of their pasts. One day not too far away, as an accomplished immigration attorney, Ceci will look back at this article and know that she did it: for her people, for her brother, and for herself.

Jasmine Walker

Jasmine Walker is the pseudonym of a senior at Portland State University (PSU) majoring in English. She is a leader in the Pan-African Commons and was active in Disarm PSU. For several years she has been mentoring and advocating for youth who have been marginalized in their schools and communities and codirected a mentoring program at Reynolds High School.

Neera Malhotra

Dr. Neera Malhotra ( [email protected] ) is a Senior Instructor within the University Studies program at Portland State University (PSU). Her current scholarship includes implications of interpersonal neurobiology and contemplative practices in higher education. Outside PSU, she teaches meditation and works with youth groups on cocreating compassionate social justice practices.

David Peterson del Mar

Dr. David Peterson del Mar ( [email protected] ) is a Professor at Portland State University who teaches year-long Freshman Inquiry classes for University Studies. He is the author of seven books on U.S. social and cultural history and the President of Yo Ghana!, a nonprofit that facilitates letter exchanges between youth in West Africa and the Pacific Northwest.

Vicki L. Reitenauer

Vicki L. Reitenauer ( [email protected] ) serves on the faculty of the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies department at Portland State University, developing and teaching both discipline-specific and general-education courses, including community-based learning experiences; employing critical pedagogies and reflective practice for integrative, transformative, liberatory learning; building and sustaining community partnerships; facilitating relational faculty support processes; and co-creating faculty-led assessment practices.