Central Americans face political instability, violence, and economic disparities–largely rooted in U.S. interventions that were intensified in the late 1980s–forcing many to flee their countries and face further challenges throughout their migration journey. While existing research has examined the mental health outcomes of Latines, such as PTSD and depression, studies focusing on Central Americans remain limited. We especially know little about positive coping mechanisms they have developed to navigate hardships before, during, and after migration. Through an asset-based approach, this research explores how Central American migrant adults perceive and cope with experiences of violence and trauma, particularly the sources of resilience they rely on at each stage of migration (pre-migration, migration, post-migration). Using a qualitative Testimonio approach informed by Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Ecological Systems Theory, I will interview 6 Central American participants to document their life stories and perspectives, along with 3 mental health providers to further examine Central American clients’ sources of resilience and coping. I aim to showcase how Central Americans build resilience throughout their migration journey and the factors that shape it, challenging existing frameworks that tend to overlook their ways of coping. Often lumped under the “Latine” category, this project centers on Central Americans' unique migration trajectories, coping strategies, and advocates for culturally sensitive, trauma-informed interventions

Previous research has shown that socioeconomic status (SES) affects emergency services and response times, particularly in Emergency Medical Services (EMS). This study investigates whether SES, specifically median household income, influences fire battalion response times in San Francisco. The research is personally motivated by a past house fire. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and DataSF, I analyzed median household income and population density for each San Francisco zip code in 2018 and 2015. I gathered battalion response times from an online source and calculated weighted average response times based on battalion responses to fire incidents in each zip code. A multiple linear regression model was used to examine the relationship between SES, population density, and response times. Results showed a moderate positive correlation between median household income and response time, but it was not statistically significant. However, population density was found to have a statistically significant impact on response times, suggesting it may be a key factor influencing response efficiency. This study opens the door for future research into factors such as population density and geographical considerations that may affect fire response times. It also offers a methodology applicable to studying other emergency services and their relationship with socioeconomic factors.

Racial identity is a key determinant of life outcomes and plays a critical role in shaping the health of Black Americans. However, the social processes that shape racial identity development in adulthood remain poorly understood. This study examines how neighborhood context and changes in socioeconomic status (SES) affect racial identity across the life course. Using data from 627 Black adults in the Nashville Stress and Health Study, we conducted multinomial logistic regression analyses to examine the relationships between perceived neighborhood racial composition (PNRC), life course SES (LSES), and two dimensions of racial identity: racial centrality and closeness to other Black people (COBP). Models tested main effects and LSES × PNRC interactions. Racial centrality was significantly higher among respondents living in mostly Black neighborhoods. PNRC was also linked to COBP, with those in mostly white neighborhoods reporting lower closeness to other Black people. LSES was not independently associated with either outcome, but significant LSES × PNRC interactions revealed that the effects of SES on racial identity varied by neighborhood context. These findings highlight PNRC as a key influence on racial identity, with complex SES–context interactions. While SES alone may not drive identity development, its effects appear conditional on place. Understanding these dynamics may inform efforts to strengthen identity and reduce health inequities in Black communities.

Los Angeles’s emergence as a cultural center in the 1920s was marked by extraordinary developments in fine printing. A thriving network of printers, booksellers, collectors, and institutions fostered what bookseller Jake Zeitlin termed “a small renaissance,” establishing new paradigms for fine press publishing. At the forefront of this golden age stood William Andrews Clark Jr., a philanthropist and distinguished bibliophile whose renowned collection would later establish the Clark Library. Between 1922 and 1933, Clark commissioned and gifted ten annual Christmas books to friends and institutions. Each volume uniquely combined two formats: a facsimile of a rare first edition alongside a lavish modern reprint by fine printer John Henry Nash. In examining how these books were conceived, produced, and circulated, this paper argues that Clark’s Christmas books represented a unique fusion of bibliographic scholarship and cultural patronage, one that redefined possibilities for private collectors’ relationship with the public culture. Through analysis of production records and correspondence letters stored at the Clark Library, this paper reveals how the Christmas books transcended conventional gift-giving to create cultural artifacts that served multiple ends: preserving bibliographic heritage, advancing fine printing aesthetics, building bibliographical networks, and ultimately forging a transformative legacy in American book culture.

In “The Husband Stitch,” Carmen Maria Machado critiques the cultural practice of silencing women through horror and speculative fiction, positioning her short story within Latina/x feminist discourse. I argue that Machado’s narrative engages with Latindad by amplifying voices that subvert fixed identities and challenge dominant gender norms. Through analytical close reading, I examine how the protagonist destabilizes traditional constructs of femininity using feminist and border studies frameworks. My research explores how the story navigates the complexities of female desire and bodily autonomy, particularly within the domestic sphere. Drawing on the work of feminist and borderlands theorists, I highlight how Machado reclaims the narrative of the silenced woman, using speculative elements to expose systemic violence and cultural erasure. By analyzing narrative structure, symbolism, and language, I show how the story challenges patriarchal conventions and reframes Latina womanhood. Ultimately, this project contributes to broader conversations on intersectional feminism, contemporary Latina literary expression, and resistance through narrative voice.