Current

Sophia Rodriguez is the founder and director of the ImmigrantEdNext Lab. She has researched urban schools and education policy for over a decade. Her research specifically focuses on Latinx immigrant youth and their experiences of school and society. She has also evaluated and worked in consultation with community-based organizations to support programs for youth across the country. Prior to her work as a researcher and professor, she was a public school teacher in Chicago and New York City.

Melissa (she/her) is a Ph.D. student in the Sociology of Education program at NYU Steinhardt and the lead RA of the ImmigrantEdNext Lab. She is interested in exploring the contemporary educational experiences and advocacy of immigrant-origin Latinx students attending suburban schools. Having attended schools and worked with Latinx youth in suburban areas, she is passionate about working with Latinx students to achieve their educational goals.

Dulce (she/her/ella) is a first year Ph.D. student in Applied Psychology at NYU. Born in Querétaro, Mexico and raised in North Carolina, Dulce's first-hand experiences inform her passion for understanding the complex ways in which context shapes the immigrant experience. Her work focuses on how intersecting power structures —rooted in race, social class, and gender—impact the belonging, resistance practices (civic engagement and more!), and well-being of undocumented youth and their families. Dulce aims to challenge dominant narratives and center undocumented communities' strengths.

Sofía (she/her) is a doctoral student at NYU Steinhardt. As a former third grade Bilingual/ESL educator, her research focuses on the intersection between migration and education, with a particular emphasis on policies that challenge structural inequalities and reimagine educational spaces for Latinx and immigrant youth.