Meet Lark From SURF L&S! | OURS Student Spotlight

Lark (they/them) | Spring ‘25 | Sociology and Art Practice Lark (they/them) is one of our SURF L&S participants and is currently double majoring in sociology and art practice. During their time in the program, they researched how Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) ballroom communities negotiate their racial and cultural identities regarding gender performances within the predominantly Black and Latine ballroom history and context. Lark is interested in the ways that gender is racialized so that the larger society can reimagine gendered structures, performances, and ways of being.   What was […]

Meet Raquel from UCDC! | OURS Student Spotlight

Raquel Lopez Blanco (she/her) Raquel (she/her) participated in our UCDC program in the Spring of 2024. During her time in UCDC, she interned with the American Bar Association’s Commission on Immigration, where she was able to better understand the immigration process through working directly with detainees. Her experience allowed her to develop her professional skills and future plans. How will the skills you developed through your internship help you achieve your academic and/or professional goals? During my time with the ABA, I worked one-on-one with detainees – guiding them through […]

Meet our Haas Scholars! | OURS Student Spotlight

Amber Griffin-Royal (she/her) | Haas Scholars Program | Summer ‘25 Amber is a Haas Scholar currently majoring in African-American studies and minoring in Journalism. During her time in the Haas Scholars program, she researched Oakland’s Black Soundscape, including the everyday sounds heard in Oakland neighborhoods, community events, and her own sonic memories growing up in Oakland. After graduating, Amber plans to take a gap year to rest from academia before applying to graduate school. During her break, she will focus on creating cultural productions that merge her professional skills as an […]