This panel explores community and identity through cultural preservation, archival research, and community engagement. Our work engaged with topics ranging from the community in predominantly Black church congregations to debates around publishing testimonies of human rights abuses. Through multidisciplinary approaches, we each investigated how advocacy, historical memory, visual cultures, and shared humanity inform contemporary understandings of history, society, and politics. From workshop engagement to filmed interviews, each of the panelists engaged in independent research, fostering community, skill-building, and storytelling as platforms for research in various fields. Attendees will gain insight into sociologically, historically, and culturally impactful research. They will also learn about skills and challenges that come with independent work, including time management, self-motivation, and building connections in the workplace.

Moderator: Latrina Denson, Associate Dean of Students, Community and Belonging

Strengthening Voices and Leadership Skills with FGLI
Latinas Nazareth Castro '25 Sociology & Spanish double major, 5C Certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, & Latino Studies

Politics and the Past in Translation: Interning with the Memory and History Project
Ariana Samiee '25 International Relations & Spanish major, Law, Public policy, & Human rights minor

Photography, the Katyn Massacre, and the Aesthetics of Fascism in Geopolitical Histories
Victoria Faulkner '25 History & Studio Art double major

The Power of Community
Dana Seville '24 Sociology major