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About the Student Editors 
 

Jesse Arceo (He/Him) is in his second year of the 
M.A. program for Sociology program here at 
California State University of Los Angeles. His 
expected graduation date is Spring of the following 
academic year for 2024-2025. Jesse’s research 
interests are anything involving behavior, more 
specifically individuals’ well-being and happiness 
in our society. His position as part of the CSF 
Student Editorial Board included serving as a peer 
reviewer for the works and articles being submitted 
for publication to CSF. 

 
 

Taryn Bates (She/Her) is in her senior year as an 
undergraduate at Cal State LA and will graduate 
summa cum laude in May 2024 as an Honors 
College Thesis participant, achieving her B.A. in 
Sociology: Inequalities and Diversity. She is 
excited to gain this next level of degree through 
transferring from Irvine Valley College in 2022, 
having obtained three simultaneous A.A. degrees 
summa cum laude with Honors for Sociology, 
Emphasis in Liberal Studies, and Emphasis in 

Social and Behavioral Sciences. In 2023-2024, she became a member of the 
Abolition Study Action People’s (ASAP) Collective, holds the positions of 
Sociology Club President & Social Media Manager, and rose to the 
challenge of Publication Co-Managing Editor role for CSF. She is passionate 
about pursuing research on cross-cultural intersections of social partner 
dance. 
 

Andrea Dominguez (She/They) is currently a 
graduate student who is pursuing her M.A. in 
Sociology. Andrea is the Public Relations leader 
for CSF. Additionally, she works as a Student 
Assistant Engagement Coordinator for the Center 
for Student Involvement at Cal State LA, along 
with serving as one of the Board of Directors for 
the University Student Union. Her interests in 
academia include studying phenomena occurring 
in the world of Urban Sociology and different 
sociological pedagogies. Andrea hopes that CSF 

will continue encouraging students to submit their work and show their 
creativity to the academic world. 



California Sociology Forum x 

 

Katherine Eason (She/Her) is a Graduate student 
who’s excited about excelling in her academia 
journey. Being a first-generation college student 
and the first to receive her bachelors, she strives to 
go farther the anyone in her family was ever able 
to. Being an African American woman has driven 
her to the major of Sociology. Being involved 
within her community and fighting against 
oppression and obstacles that have been placed for 
women and people of color has fueled her 

academic journey and the main interest in her academic studies. As part of 
the CSF 2023 board, it has been her privilege to review academic work 
driven and created with Sociological relevance in mind. She encourages all 
sociology students to get involved in CSF, as it is a great way to get to know 
your classmates and to get to know your school. CSF is the heartbeat of the 
campus. 
 
 

Sammy Garcia III (He/Him) is a Sociology, M.A. 
graduate student at Cal State LA. He graduated 
with his B.A. in Sociology and Minor in CLS 
Spring 2023. He made the dean’s list for Sociology 
twice (Fall 2021, Spring 2022) and received a 
Sociology award for being part of CSF Student 
Journal in Spring 2023. His research interests are 
in music and film, and he is proud to have an op-
ed on music published in the Spring ‘23 CSF 
Volume 5. He was part of the editorial team for 
Spring Semester 2023 and returned again in the 

Fall ‘24, he enjoyed the process of working with his fellow students and new 
editorial team this semester. 
 
 

Emely Gavini Mendez (She/Her/Ella) is a 
Sociology, M.A. Graduate student at Cal State LA. 
She attended San Bernardino Valley College and 
received four Associate’s degrees: Administration 
of Justice, Humanities and Fine Arts, Social and 
Behavioral Sciences and Sociology. She proudly 
transferred over to Cal State LA and pursued her 
B.A. degree in Sociology and graduated in less 
than two years. Emely’s final thesis project focuses 
on family dynamics and how the COVID-19 

pandemic has affected those dynamics. Emely will be graduating with her 
Master’s degree in Sociology May 2024 as a proud Published student on the 
CSF editorial Board, in hopes to continue her passion for writing. 



California Sociology Forum xi 

 

Jasmine Gaytan (She/Her) has an Associate’s 
Degree in Administration of Justice from Pasadena 
City College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology 
with an emphasis in Law and Society from 
California State University- Los Angeles. She is in 
her last semester for the Master’s Degree in 
Sociology here at California State University- Los 
Angeles. Her research interests include education, 
pedagogical practices, race and ethnic inequalities. 
She is currently in the submission process of her 

research on the topic “What role does Whiteness have in the opposition of 
Critical Race Theory (CRT) in Florida’s K-12 public education?” which she 
hopes will be published in an academic article. It is her intention to promote 
awareness of the social phenomenon of anti-CRT legislation by 
understanding the role “Whiteness” has in opposition to CRT. 
 
 

April D. Laird (She/Her) will complete a B.A. in 
Sociology, in Spring 2024. Her research and action 
interests include climate justice, labor rights, anti-
racism, abolition, and sustainable urban planning, 
and her professional ambitions in advocacy 
coalesce around these topics. She is an active 
honors society member, has been featured on the 
Dean’s list 6 times, and is recognized for her 
contributions to the community in ecology and 
anti-racism, as well as for her on campus 

participation in CalStateLA’s Students with Dependents student organization 
as committee chair and president. Her experience collaborating with CSF as 
an editor and team leader has been a true delight, enjoying participating in 
the peer review process and the exciting heterogeneity of student 
sociological work at CalStateLA. Currently, April assists part time as a 
community messaging and engagement intern and student employee 
alongside the policy and research team at TreePeople.org, for county scale 
climate resilience initiatives. 
 

Anthony Jonathan Morales (He/Him) is a 
Sociologist student at CSULA. His area of study 
and expertise is in Sociology and Education. He is 
also set to graduate with a Bachelor’s in Sociology 
Spring of 2024 and is also set to pursue a Master’s 
degree after. He is grateful and enjoyed working on 
the student journals. 
 



California Sociology Forum xii 

 

Joram N. Mugerwa (He/Him) is an undergraduate 
transfer student at California State University, Los 
Angeles. He will be graduating in December 2023, 
receiving a B.A in Sociology with an option in 
Gerontology. He is part of various campus 
organizations dedicated to advancing people of 
color (BSU, EOP, The Network, etc.) and a peer 
mentor at the Veterans Resource Center. Joram 
hopes to use his gained intellect to advance the 
mobility of the aged population, specifically those 

with low-income statuses. Joram has also made it his mission to understand 
the structural foundations of society that promote well-being, hoping to one 
day apply his knowledge to his home country of Uganda. Joining CSF and 
working with its members has been illuminating for Joram because it has 
made him more aware of inequalities and perspectives. He played the role of 
Team Lead within CSF Public Relations and will continue to advocate for 
this program’s success. 
 

Rachel Natland (Her/They) is a Sociology major 
in her senior year at CSULA. Her area of expertise 
is in the application of regenerative studies to 
social system design with a focus on K-12 
education models. She will earn her B.A. in 
Sociology in the Fall of 2023 and intends to pursue 
a Master’s Degree in Regenerative Studies through 
Cal Poly Pomona in Fall 2024. 
 
 
 

 
Luis Ortiz (He/Him) is a B.A. Sociology student 
at California State University Los Angeles. He is 
interested in intersectionality of identities on social 
interaction and quality of life. Luis spends much of 
his time on campus interacting with students in the 
Cross Cultural Centers (CCC) in the Student Union 
(U-SU), especially in the Genders and Sexualities 
Resource Center (GSRC). Since 2021, he 
organizes a social justice-oriented sports recreation 
community every Saturday called Rainbow Beach 

Ultimate in Venice, California, as a response to a growing number of 
nationwide anti-trans legislation. Through RBU, Luis promotes an inclusive 
environment that focuses on building the representation of women, BIPOC, 
and LGBT+ identifying players in the Ultimate Frisbee community through 
playing and teaching Beach Ultimate. Luis looks forward to furthering his 
education in Jotería Studies in a future Master’s program at CSULA.



California Sociology Forum xiii 

 

Christina Mary Ramirez (She/Her) is a sociology 
M.A. student at Cal State University, Los Angeles 
and will be graduating in the spring of 2024. Her 
interest is in intergenerational solidarity, children’s 
psychological well-being, and family dynamics. 
She believes exploring these topics is vital for 
society because the family may be the first to serve 
as a foundational source of love, companionship, 
and understanding. She is in the process of 
completing her thesis, studying the effects parent-

child conflict has on children’s depression, especially while enduring a 
traumatic experience like divorce. Christina is grateful for the opportunity 
she has been given to explore her writing in sociological areas and to be able 
to work alongside brilliant, goal-orientated students and faculty. 
 

Jessica Rivera (She/Her/Ella) is a first-generation 
graduate student at Cal State LA. Jessica will be 
graduating with her M.A. in Sociology in May 
2024. Her research interests consist of deviant 
behaviors, gender, and mental health. She is 
currently working on her portfolio project on the 
topic of social media specifically Instagram 
affecting college students’ self-perception. She is 
grateful for the opportunity she has been given to 
explore, grow in her writing and learn from her 
CSF team. Jessica had the opportunity to be a part 

of the book/film review team. She is a proud member of the editorial board 
and hopes to continue her passion in writing. 
 
 

Marie Rivera (She/Her/Ella) is a graduate student 
pursuing her M.A. in Sociology. Her research 
interests consist of intersectionality, gender & 
sexuality studies, race & ethnicity, abolition, and 
climate justice. Marie currently holds the position 
of Vice President of the SOC Club. She is also a 
Research Assistant to several faculty members in 
the Department of Sociology. She is passionate 
about organizing with Abolition Study Action 
People’s (ASAP) Collective and educating 

students on abolition as a teaching assistant. She has a strong enthusiasm for 
the written word and its capacity to convey the distinctive thoughts of others. 
She is grateful for the opportunity to work on such an amazing, dedicated 
editorial team and admires the journal’s ability to display the work of 
students. Marie acted as Graduate Managing Editor for CSF in the Spring of 
2023 and Publication Co-Managing Editor for the Fall 2023-Spring 2024.



California Sociology Forum xiv 

 

Leticia Romero (She/Her/Ella) is a Sociology 
graduate student working on her Master’s at Cal 
State University, Los Angeles. She has a unique 
and diverse perspective on under resourced 
communities and people of color and believes 
systematic change is needed to improve the quality 
of life for people not born into wealth. Her research 
interest is on critical gang studies and why young 
men join gang. She is focused on the Chicano 
community of East Los Angeles where she is 

conducting qualitative interviews to exhibit the resilience of Chicano street 
gangs and analyzing conflict issues based on allocated resources, identity 
issues based on hypermasculinity. She is member of the international 
Sociology honor society, Alpha Kappa Delta as well as the international 
interdisciplinary honor society, Phi Kappa Phi and is currently a student 
editor for the California Sociology Forum. 
 

Esai Santana (He/Him) is an undergraduate 
senior at California State University, Los Angeles 
who transferred from East Los Angeles with an 
Associate in Arts Degree: Sociology for Transfer 
and an Associate in Arts General Studies: Social 
and Behavioral Sciences. With an estimated 
graduation in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s 
Degree in Sociology, he joined CSF as an 
opportunity to connect more with his peers in 
Sociology, step out of his comfort zone, and take 

an interest in publishing a journal. His main research interests when it comes 
to Sociology are topics that include inequalities, sexuality, and gender. He 
also has a passion for playing video games, enjoying the stories they tell 
through a player and sociological perspective. 
 
 

Marlonzo Smith (He/Him) is a Sociologist M.A., 
student at CSULA. Marlonzo’s interest is in 
criminology and political sociology, with a focus 
on deviant behavior and the effects of deviant 
labels. For his thesis, he hopes to study negative 
social factors among young men that influence 
their decision toward deviant behaviors. Marlonzo 
is a case manager at a nonprofit on SkidRow which 
helps homeless individuals find affordable housing 
units within Los Angeles. Participating as CSF’s 
website specialist has allowed him to present the 

research that his fellow students have worked so hard to research so their 
passions can be shown to others.



California Sociology Forum xv 

 

Andrea Cesar Urbach (She/Her) is a Sociology 
Graduate student. She received her B.A. in 
sociology from California State University Los 
Angeles. She is writing her M.A. thesis about the 
Sociological Perception of Warfare. Her research 
focus is climate change and warfare as a social 
conflict based on how we understand it as a part of 
societal group interests. In her first year as a 
student, she helped start a student organization that 
addressed global warming and was the secretary. 

She likes talking and reading about sociology and joined CSF as an editor in 
the Fall of 2023. Academic editing allowed her to work with other authors 
and enhance her academic life. 
 

Kandice Vass (She/Her), a junior at Cal State LA, 
transitioned from Los Angeles Valley College in 
Fall 2023. Having proudly earned her Associates 
Degree in Sociology in June 2023, she is now 
driven to further her academic and professional 
journey. With a focused goal of attaining a 
Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, specializing in 
Law and Society, Kandice is thrilled to immerse 
herself in learning, forge meaningful connections, 
and undergo personal growth during her time at Cal 
State LA. Serving as the Book and Film Team Lead 

for CSF, she looks forward to contributing to the academic community and 
continuing her enriching journey with CSF throughout her enrollment. 
 
 

Lauren Whiting (She/They) is a Sociology, M.A. 
student at CSULA, but attended AVC for their 
ADT in Sociology and CSUB-AV for their B.A. in 
Sociology: Human Services. Lauren’s sociological 
areas of interest cover topics such as US 
interactions with and perceptions of the justice 
system and the parent-child relationship when 
parenting with disabilities. For her thesis, she 
hopes to explore the influence of parental 
religiosity on the relationship between disabled 
parents and their children. Their passion for these 

topics offered them opportunities to tutor Sociology, present at six 
conferences, and receive various accolades. While working toward their 
Master’s, Lauren is a case manager at a reentry nonprofit in the Antelope 
Valley. With a passion for supporting others, participating in CSF as a peer 
reviewer and media team member has offered Lauren the joy of aiding fellow 
students in their journey of sharing their passions with others.



California Sociology Forum xvi 

 

Michael Young (He/Him) is a dual major at Cal 
State LA who has utilized his upper education path 
to explore his special interest regarding students 
with disabilities within the education system. He 
expects to graduate magna cum laude in Spring 
2024 with both a B.A. in Sociology and a B.A. in 
Psychology, while additionally being recognized 
for participation in the Cal State LA Honors 
College. His achievements include advocacy for 
students with disabilities within government 

support systems, presenting at multiple conferences, and being a co-
investigator on a research study conducted as an undergraduate thesis under 
the Honors College which focuses on the experiences of accommodations 
students with disabilities receive while attending Cal State LA. 
 
 
 
About the Faculty Editors 
 
 

Luoman Bao is an Associate Professor in 
Sociology whose primary research interests 
include family dynamics, population aging and 
health, and quantitative methods. Her work has 
been published in various venues, including 
Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, Journal 
of Health and Social Behavior, and Research on 
Aging. Dr. Bao served as the Editor-in-Chief of 
CSF in Fall 2022 and Fall 2023. She loves working 
with students in classrooms and on projects. She is 

passionate about facilitating students to grow and achieve their full potential. 
 
 
 

Katie Dingeman is an Associate Professor in 
Sociology with research interests around migrant 
rights, reproductive justice, political ecology, and 
qualitative methods. She has published in a variety 
of venues, including Social Problems, Feminist 
Criminology, and the Journal on Migration and 
Human Security. She loves facilitating student-led 
projects and enjoys growing as a teacher, scholar, 
and advocate alongside her students. Dr. Dingeman 
was Editor-in-Chief of CSF in Spring 2023 and 
Spring 2024. 



California Sociology Forum xvii 

 

Gilbert Garcia is a lecturer in Sociology at 
California State University, Los Angeles and 
Associate Faculty at Riverside City College in 
Riverside, California. He is also on the board of the 
Social Science Research Instructional Council for 
the California State University System. His 
research and teaching interests are in race and 
ethnic relations with an emphasis on exploring 
systemic racism in the U.S. He also explores the 
connection of Media and Technology as 

Socializing Forces in the development of individuals. He serves as the IT 
Liaison for CSF. 
 
 
 

Roseann Giarrusso is Chair and Professor of 
Sociology with research interests in aging and the 
life-course, family and intergenerational relations, 
and quantitative research methods. She has over 50 
publications including two co-authored books, 
many peer-reviewed journal articles (e.g., Journal 
of Marriage and Family; Journals of Gerontology: 
Social Science; Journal of Family Issues; and 
Generations), and numerous chapters in books. 
She enjoys helping students to realize their 
academic potential. Every year, Dr. Giarrusso co-

authors grant proposals to solicit funds to print copies of CSF and provide 
stipends to student managing editors.  
 
 
 

Hyojoung Kim is a Professor of Sociology and 
Director of the Center for Korean American and 
Korean Studies in Cal State L.A. His main research 
and teaching areas include political sociology and 
race and ethnic studies with special emphasis in 
Korean and Korean American studies, Quantitative 
Research Methods and Statistics, Rational Choice, 
Social Network Analysis and Social Movements. 
His research has been published in various 
internationally acclaimed academic journals, 
including American Sociological Review, 

American Journal of Sociology, and European Sociological Review. Dr. Kim 
has edited a few books on Korean Americans and Korea. He founded 
California Sociology Forum—Student Online Journal of Sociology and 
served as Editor-in-Chief during 2007~2013.  


	About the Student Editors



