Scholar-Activism

Urban planning is an interdisciplinary applied field of study. I work in and with communities so that my research and practice inform each other for social change. I have over a decade of experience working as a community development planner in California, Mali, and Philippines. These experiences gave me an opportunity to hone my community engagement skills. As a researcher, I use these skills to engage communities in scholarship that leads to action.

My research interests lie at the intersection of race, urbanism, and disaster management. Specifically, my work explores questions about social, economic, and political processes that (re)produce inequality across space and race before and after disasters. My work examines community capacity and empowerment as vital resources for community resilience.

In addition, my research and service in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) grassroots health organizations interrogates how BIPOC-led organizations challenge and alter systems of power in the struggle for equality and justice.

I am actively engaged in scholarship that is rooted in and addressing local and global problems.