The utilization of Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs) for a variety of activities has shown to be beneficial in learning and behavior adjustment. When paired with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) it has shown increased success in assisting these children with learning every day skills including fine motor, speech, and regulation. For children with ASD, an ABA PHP can act as a school setting for them since they are there from 8am to 2pm, the same as public school kids. Do these PHPs follow the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as encouraged by public schools to help maximize the children's learning? Within the field of disability studies, I will look at a PHP through the UDL framework to assess if it is in compliance with the three main components of UDL: multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression. Using ethnographic research methods, I will observe a PHP that services children diagnosed with ASD aged two years old to six years old Monday through Friday during school hours. I will observe the locations in this site with the most child interaction daily like the classroom, the playground, the walkways, and the therapy offices. This study has significant implications in understanding the intersection between educational services and services deeply rooted in the medical model.

Concerts, festivals, and other live music events are moments that people look forward to going to and seeing their favorite artist live, but also come with many background details that need to be considered. Transportation, manufacturing, infrastructure, sensory accommodations, and more will be analyzed and reflected upon through a Disability Studies analysis, literature review, and ethnographic fieldwork at a large scale, highly frequented arena. These target areas will provide further insight to the environmental impacts that occur from the different stages of production of live music (i.e. creation of the album; marketing and tour announcements; travel of the artist, audience, and staff per venue; waste production, etc.). Research looking at current sensory accommodations and sustainability efforts for concert venues will be primarily used to analyze the efforts in place at the chosen arena fieldsite. The accessibility and environmental impacts of live music will be considered to look at possible adjustments in accommodation and sustainability to move towards widespread adoption and improve live music experiences.

Since June 2025, Los Angeles has experienced widespread fear due to the increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These traumatic occurrences have contributed to a growing body of research suggesting that immigration enforcement, raids, and deportation efforts negatively impact the psychological well-being and social cohesion of immigrant and marginalized communities across the United States. Recognizing the important role that non-profit, grassroots organizations play in providing resources to local communities—and their potential to foster collective resistance—we sought to investigate how one organization, Hope Street Margolis Family Center in Downtown Los Angeles, continues to serve its community in the current immigration context. Utilizing participant observation and semi-structured interviews with parents, staff, former, and current students within Hope Street’s Youth Afterschool Center, we aimed to answer the following research question: How does Hope Street’s relational approach operate within the current immigration context, and what impact does it have on families’ sense of belonging, safety, and empowerment? Preliminary findings suggest that Hope Street’s relational approach fosters trust, allowing children and families to feel welcome, safe, and comfortable asking for and receiving services. This connection enables Hope Street to continue serving its members, highlighting the longevity of relational approaches compared to standard transactional approaches.

This study is an exploratory investigation of current accessibility of physical extracurricular activities for children with disabilities in the LA area. Physical activity is an effective therapeutic tool for children with disabilities. Positive outcomes have been identified through recreational activities with collaboration of peers for all children, yet children with disabilities are less likely to participate or have access to these programs. This study is conducted through an online questionnaire that asks parents and children with disabilities to answer questions relating to their participation in physical extracurricular activities. The questionnaire asks parents to report accessibility of programs, and asks both parents and children with disabilities to separately report on the child’s enjoyment and preferences for extracurricular activities. The answers will be recorded and analyzed using statistical analysis to assess overall participation and enjoyment of physical activity programs throughout the LA area. The questionnaire was compiled with 19-33 questions. The questionnaire is being administered to schools, therapeutic clinics, and disability centers across the LA area. The results from this study are still being collected, with the aim to acquire 20-30 participants over the next month. Findings from this study will provide insight and highlight areas of improvement for increased accessibility of extracurricular activities for children with disabilities and how they can best relate to the children’s desires.