Category: Luskin’s Latest Blog

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Two UCLA Alumni Return to the Luskin School as Assistant Professors of Social Welfare

This fall, UCLA Luskin welcomes two new assistant professors to its Department of Social Welfare: Anthony Gómez and Brianna Harvey. Both scholars bring expertise in child welfare and social work research, using innovative scholarship to advance policies and practices that improve the well-being of children, youth, families and communities.

Gómez, a UCLA alumnus, studies how child welfare policies shape the developmental, behavioral health and educational outcomes of adolescents and young adults transitioning from foster care. Using large-scale administrative data and advanced quantitative methods, his research identifies practical strategies to help child welfare systems better support young people’s long-term success. He also serves as an affiliated researcher with the California Child Welfare Indicators Project at UC Berkeley, where he contributes to research that informs child welfare policy across California.

“I can’t think of a greater way to pay it forward,” Gómez said of returning to UCLA as a faculty member. “The mentorship I received at Luskin changed the course of my career. I’m excited to continue that tradition by helping students discover their potential as social workers, scholars and change agents.”

A graduate of UCLA’s Master of Social Welfare program, Gómez earned his doctorate in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley.

Harvey returns to UCLA Luskin as both an alumna and former practitioner whose career has been dedicated to supporting communities affected by structural inequities. A critical qualitative methodologist, her research examines how schools, child welfare and carceral systems intersect to shape the lives of Black youth and their families. Her scholarship also explores how Black communities resist, subvert and reimagine systems of care and social institutions. Before entering academia, Harvey spent more than a decade as a community-based social worker and served as director of UCLA’s Bruin Guardian Scholars Program, which supports students with foster care backgrounds.

“Returning as faculty is not just a milestone — it is a return to a place where I am deeply connected to students and community,” Harvey said. “UCLA is where I became the scholar, researcher and practitioner I am today, and I’m excited to continue centering the voices of those most impacted by the systems I study.”

Together, Gómez and Harvey strengthen UCLA Luskin’s Department of Social Welfare with complementary expertise spanning quantitative and qualitative research, child welfare policy, racial equity and systems change.

From School Social Worker to Founder: Emily Dillon MSW ’16 on Transforming Mental Health Care

From supporting students in one of the nation’s largest school districts to founding her own psychotherapy practice, UCLA Luskin alumna Emily Dillon is setting a new standard for compassionate, evidence-based mental health care.. In this Q&A, she shares how her Luskin education, years in public service, and commitment to well-being continue to shape her work and her advice for the next generation of social workers.

You worked with LAUSD students for many years before launching your private practice, Wildflower Mental Health and Wellness. What lessons did you take from working in schools that you now bring into your practice?

My years as a Psychiatric Social Worker with LAUSD gave me an incredibly strong clinical foundation. Because of the diversity of the students, families, and school communities I served, I was exposed to a breadth of experiences early in my career that shaped the clinician I am today. I gained experience in crisis intervention, trauma work, group facilitation, consultation, advocacy, and working alongside families navigating complex challenges.

Emily Dillon MSW ’16

Beyond clinical skills, LAUSD taught me how to collaborate effectively across disciplines, navigate systems that don’t always function the way we wish they would, and advocate for meaningful change while still working within those systems. I learned how to be a teacher, leader, mentor, and advocate—not just for students, but for the broader school community.

Most importantly, it taught me humility. Some of the best social workers, teachers, and administrators I worked with understood that real change starts with listening. It reinforced my belief that clients are the experts on their own experiences. Our role isn’t to have all the answers, but to bring curiosity, humility, and clinical expertise while creating space for people to make sense of their own stories. That perspective continues to shape my work every day in private practice.

Balancing a thriving practice, family life, and personal health is no small feat. What has helped you navigate the transitions of your career while juggling work and life and your own mental health?

Honestly, a lot of trial and error.

Like many social workers, I entered the field because I care deeply about helping people. For a long time, I thought being a good clinician meant constantly pushing through, taking on more, and putting everyone else’s needs ahead of my own. As a crisis worker, especially during the pandemic, I spent years supporting others through incredibly difficult circumstances. While that work was meaningful, it also took a toll.

Looking back, I can see that my mind and body were asking for a change long before I was consciously ready to make one. As my children got older, I found myself wanting to be more present with my family while also recognizing that I needed a different level of balance and flexibility for my own health and well-being. Leaving the district was not an easy decision. I loved being a school social worker and gained some of the most formative experiences of my career there. At the same time, I knew I couldn’t ignore what my nervous system had been telling me for years.

Opening my private practice felt like a leap of faith, but it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Running a business comes with its own challenges, but it has allowed me to build a career that aligns with my values, supports my family, and gives me the flexibility to care for myself in a way I couldn’t before. In many ways, that experience has also deepened my work as a therapist. Today, many of the people I work with are navigating their own versions of that same question: how do I stop pushing through and create a life that feels more sustainable? I’ve learned that balance isn’t something you achieve once—it’s something you continue to revisit and adjust as life changes.

For current Luskin students or new social workers entering the field, what advice would you give about building a sustainable career in social work while also protecting your own well-being?

I would tell them that it’s okay for their definition of success to evolve over time. When I graduated from Luskin, I had a certain vision of what my career would look like. Some parts of that vision came true, while other parts changed in ways I never could have predicted. Some of the most meaningful opportunities in my career came from staying open, following my curiosity, and trusting myself when it was time to grow in a new direction.

I would also encourage new social workers to remember that there is no single “right” way to build a career in this field. Social work can be incredibly meaningful work, but it can also be demanding. Many of us work within systems that are under-resourced, stretched thin, and ask a lot of the people working in them. While those realities are important to acknowledge, I think it’s equally important to regularly check in with yourself about what you need to stay healthy, engaged, and effective over the long term.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that helping others shouldn’t require losing yourself in the process. The more grounded, balanced, and supported I am in my own life, the better I’m able to show up for my clients, my family, and my community. Give yourself permission to grow, change course when needed, and build a career that supports the life you want to live.

Luskin Students Earn Honorable Mention in National APA Planning Competition MURP team recognized for equity-focused Detroit greenway proposal developed through months of collaborative planning

June 17, 2026/0 Comments/in Luskin's Latest Blog, Urban Planning Minjee Kim /by Peaches Chung

A team of second-year Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) students at UCLA Luskin has earned an Honorable Mention in the American Planning Association’s Student Planning and Design Competition for their project, “Greenway Neighborhood Renaissance Collaborative,“ a proposal focused on equitable redevelopment along Detroit’s Joe Louis Greenway corridor.

Led by MURP student Micah Wilcox, the team—Elizabeth Shin, Gus Grunau, and Sophie Craypo—developed a multi-month planning proposal addressing mobility, land use, housing, environmental resilience, and community needs on vacant land adjacent to the proposed urban trail. The project drew on existing community planning efforts and emphasized integrated, place-based design strategies.

Assistant Professor of Urban Planning Minjee Kim served as faculty advisor, providing guidance and feedback throughout the development and refinement of the submission.

“Understanding the whole project allowed us to effectively divide up work, hit milestones along the route to completing the final product, and focus on content rather than logistics.”

For Wilcox, the experience highlighted both the rigor and rewards of collaborative planning practice. “Submitting a successful proposal consumed a lot of time outside of meetings; we needed to gain a clear sense of what tasks we would need to complete and to estimate the time associated with each, while balancing school and outside jobs,” he said.

“Understanding the whole project allowed us to effectively divide up work, hit milestones along the route to completing the final product, and focus on content rather than logistics. Achieving this balance made us a more competitive team and made the process more fun and fulfilling.”

Wilcox also received the UCLA Urban Planning Dean’s Award for Overall Excellence, recognizing sustained academic achievement and contributions across the two-year MURP program. The award is presented annually by faculty to one graduating student in recognition of exceptional work throughout the degree. Greenway Neighborhood Renaissance Collaborative

Q&A with Tristhan Lim: Public Affairs Minor Shaping Equitable Cities From GIS and transportation data to public policy and urban planning, a Luskin minor student reflects on how coursework connects cities, systems, and equity.

June 10, 2026/0 Comments/in For Students, For Undergraduates, Luskin's Latest Blog, Urban Planning /by Sheryl Samala

Why did you choose to pursue the public affairs minor?

I chose to pursue the Public Affairs minor because I wanted to understand the policy side of the urban issues I studied in my Geography classes. I have always cared about cities, transportation, housing, and infrastructure, but Public Affairs gave me a stronger framework for understanding how these decisions get made. The minor helped me connect mapping, data, and spatial analysis to questions of equity and access in our built environment. I wanted to understand why they happen, who they affect, and what kinds of policies can respond to them.

Tristhan Lim is a Geography Major, Public Affairs and Geospatial Information Systems & Technologies Minor

What does “urban planning” mean to you personally, and how has your time at Luskin shaped or changed that definition?

To me, urban planning means shaping cities in ways that improve people’s everyday lives. Before Luskin, I mostly understood planning through the physical city: streets, transit, housing, parks, and land use. My time at Luskin expanded that definition. I now see urban planning as deeply connected to political power, equity, access, community-building, and public decision-making. Luskin taught me that planning does not only ask what a city should look like. It also asks who gets access, who benefits, who faces displacement, and who gets included in decisions that shape the city.

Is there a specific class, professor, or project at Luskin that completely shifted your perspective on the field of public affairs?

I enjoyed PUB 113, Policy Analysis: Approaches to Addressing Social Problems, with Professor Covington in Spring 2025. This class shifted my perspective when thinking about policies and public programs, as it helped me understand how these ideas or projects move through bureaucracies, institutions, and management before they reach the public. I learned that agencies must interpret rules, manage resources, coordinate departments, and respond to political, financial, and administrative constraints before enacting a policy. That helped me see public affairs as more than policy ideas on paper. I got to learn that implementation depends on the people, systems, and institutions responsible for carrying out those decisions.

This class also gave me useful context for my work on infrastructure projects with UCLA Transportation and the City of Los Angeles – Bureau of Street Services. When I work with transportation data, GIS maps, sidewalk infrastructure, or mobility projects, I can better understand the larger process behind those projects. Public infrastructure requires coordination between planners, engineers, departments, funding sources, and community needs. PUB 113 helped me see how slow, complex, and layered policy implementation can become, especially in a city like Los Angeles. I now approach infrastructure work with a stronger understanding of how policy, management, and bureaucracy shape what actually gets built, maintained, or improved.

How has your Luskin coursework helped you navigate the real-world complexities of LA’s transportation systems?

Luskin helped me understand that transportation is not a singular matter. Transportation connects to housing affordability, labor, race, disability access, public health, the built environment, and economic opportunity. My coursework helps me ask better questions when I work with that data. Instead of only asking which route works fastest, I think about who has access to reliable transportation, who faces longer commute burdens, and how transportation planning can either reduce or reproduce inequality (shoutout PUB AFF 155 – Economics and Equity in Transportation Systems with Professor Bills)

Can you explain what you do as a Geographic Information Systems Intern for the City of Los Angeles and a Transportation Planning Intern for UCLA? What does a typical day look like for you?

As a Geographic Information Systems Intern for the City of Los Angeles, I work with spatial data to support city projects. My work includes cleaning datasets, creating maps, analyzing infrastructure, and using GIS tools to help visualize urban conditions. A lot of the work involves turning raw data into maps, dashboards, and visuals that planners, engineers, and decision-makers can use. An interesting project I am currently working on right now is analyzing which streets in Los Angeles should receive cool pavement to help reduce urban heat!

As a Transportation Planning Intern for UCLA, specifically in the Mobility and Traffic Systems unit, I support projects related to campus mobility and transportation behavior. I work with transportation data, commute/mobility patterns, GIS maps, dashboards, and reports that help UCLA understand how students, staff, and faculty move to and around campus. A typical day might include cleaning transportation data, building a map in ArcGIS, updating a dashboard, analyzing survey results, or preparing visuals for a report. I enjoy this work because it combines technical GIS skills with real planning questions about mobility, access, safety, and how people experience the campus environment.

How do you balance a demanding academic schedule, a city internship, and your extracurricular commitments?

I balance everything by being clear about my priorities. Work experience in my field matters a lot to me, so I try to structure my schedule around school and internships first. I use my calendar heavily, break big assignments into smaller tasks, and try not to wait until the last minute when I know my work schedule will get busy. I have also learned that balance does not always mean doing everything equally; sometimes school takes priority, sometimes work takes priority, and sometimes I need to step back from extracurriculars. The biggest thing has been learning how to manage my time without overcommitting.

Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years? What kind of impact do you ultimately want to make through your career?

In 5 to 10 years, I see myself pursuing a master’s in urban planning or master’s in GIS. Career-wise, I want to work in a job that combines GIS, planning, and urban analytics. I want to use data and mapping to make cities more accessible, sustainable, and equitable. Long term, I hope to work on projects that improve transportation systems, reduce barriers to mobility, and help communities access better infrastructure and public resources.

What advice would you give to other Luskin students?

My advice would be to take advantage of every opportunity to connect coursework with real-world experience. Public affairs can feel very broad. Internships, projects, and campus work can help you figure out what issues you want to focus on. I would also tell students not to underestimate technical skills. Learning GIS, data analysis, writing, and visualization can make your public affairs background even stronger.

New report finds sharply rising rates of unemployment for Black Californians In the latest report in the State of Black California series, the team found that across all racial and ethnic groups, Black people had the largest single-year increase in unemployment.

June 10, 2026/0 Comments/in Luskin's Latest Blog, Public Policy Michael Stoll /by Peaches Chung

This article originally appeared in UCLA Newsroom and is reprinted here in full with permission.

By Barbra Ramos

Key takeaways

In 2025, the unemployment rate of Black Californians at 7.5% was twice that of those who were white.
Black men in California without a high school diploma experienced the highest rate of unemployment at 15.9%.
Black women with college degrees saw the largest increase in unemployment from the year before, more than tripling from 2.7% to 8.5%
Based on their findings, the study’s researchers believe policymakers should take a multi-prong approach to ensure that California supports its residents during this difficult labor market.

Employment — a major marker and measure of quality of life — declined among Black Californians between 2024 and 2025, according to new research from the Black Policy Project, a research initiative of the UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies.

In their latest biennial report in the State of Black California series, the team found that across all racial and ethnic groups, Black people had the largest single-year increase in unemployment, up from 5.6% in 2024 to 7.5% in 2025. The unemployment rate of Black Californians was double that of white Californians by the end of 2025, researchers found.

“These employment shifts are against a two-year backdrop of historic changes in federal action, closing of DEI offices, the attacks on affirmative action and higher education, etc.,” said lead author Michael Stoll, a professor of public policy at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and faculty director of the Black Policy Project. “In this short period of time, we’ve found that many of the employment pathways that Black Californians have relied on have been significantly weakened or shut off entirely.”

The researchers discovered that increases in unemployment were sharpest among those who were younger (ages 18-34) and in the prime working age (35-54). When factoring in education and gender, two unemployment statistics stood out for 2025: Black men without a high school diploma experienced the highest rate of unemployment at 15.9%, while Black women with college degrees saw the largest unemployment increase, more than tripling, from 2.7% to 8.5%.

One driver that the authors attribute to the rise in unemployment for those with at least some level of higher education is the declining public sector, where Black Californians have historically held the highest share of jobs among all racial and ethnic groups. In particular, roles at state and municipal government agencies decreased, with unemployment losses for college-educated Black women driving the declines.

In addition, researchers found that the quality and conditions of work changed as more Black workers turned to involuntary part-time work, meaning they preferred full-time or had likely worked full-time previously. The involuntary part-time rate increased by ten percentage points, from 38.8% to 48.8%. Black men with a college degree saw the sharpest increase by 30 percentage points to 79.2%. When comparing age groups, older Black Californians saw the largest increase, rising from 27.0% to 40.0%, followed closely by those considered prime-age, who went from 48.7% to 60.6%.

Institutional disconnection — defined as not being employed or in school — was found to be up 3% for Black people in California, to 11.8%. Disconnection among Latinos was slightly higher at 12.0%, the highest among all races and ethnicities. The largest increase among Black Californians was seen for Black women, up 6.5 percentage points to 15.1%. Over a third of Black Californians with less than a high school diploma were disconnected last year, up almost six percentage points from 2024.

The findings are particularly alarming to researchers following the last report on the State of Black California, published in 2024, which provided a comprehensive analysis of the social and economic status of Black communities in the Golden State over a 20-year period. In that report, the researchers estimated it would take more than 248 years to close the gaps between Black and white Californians.

Based on their findings, the authors identified four areas of action to combat the impact of the changing labor market on Black Californians:

Strengthen employment regulations and social safety nets, such as unemployment insurance and mandate anti-discrimination protections.
Diversify pathways to quality employment, including apprenticeships and career paths that do not require advanced degrees.
Continue investing in California’s public colleges and universities to expand access and pathways for success.
Invest in Black-led organizations and initiatives supporting Black entrepreneurship to help cultivate community wealth and strengthen economic well-being.

“The path forward will require targeted, sustained action at the state, local and community levels,” said Stoll. “The work ahead demands urgency and commitment for a California that is stronger, more equitable and prosperous not just for some, but for all.”

Stoll presented the research at the State of Black California conference, held on April 10, 2026, at UCLA, with advocates, policy experts, elected officials, academic scholars and community-based leaders in attendance. The conference featured a wide array of elected, academic and cultural leaders as speakers, including California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber, California Legislative Black Caucus Vice Chair Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, California Senator Laura Richardson, California Assemblymembers Sade Elhawary and LaShae Collins, MacArthur Fellow and David O. Sears Presidential Endowed Chair of Social Sciences Dr. Safiya Noble, Chuck D, and Aloe Blacc. Hosted by the UCLA Bunche Center and the California Legislative Black Caucus, the all-day event provided a space for attendees to think critically and begin to develop solutions together on the issues that matter most and will help Black Californians thrive.

Q&A with a graduating senior: Sophia Wang ’26 From UCLA to Amsterdam, Tokyo and beyond, Sophia Wang’s scholarship-supported journey is shaping a future in equitable urban planning.

June 2, 2026/0 Comments/in For Undergraduates, Luskin's Latest Blog /by Peaches Chung

Sophia Wang, who graduates this June with a public affairs major and a geography minor, really made the most of her time at UCLA.

Earning the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship, she used her first summer of travel funding from it (with ten more to come) to study complex transportation planning at the Urban Cycling Institute in Amsterdam and to pursue a research internship in green gentrification patterns at the University of Tokyo.

Originally from Dayton, Ohio, she also earned the Miller/Shigemura Scholarship and served as a UCLA Policy Fellow at LA Civil Rights, URC HASS Research Scholar and the student outreach coordinator for the UCLA Center for Scholarships and Scholar Enrichment.

What are some of your favorite memories at UCLA?

There are many, but they include:

Founding my own research organization at UCLA, and creating and hosting the first in-person Poster Day since COVID-19.
Chatting with professors at office hours about anything from the political issues to how her son is Steve Kerr (shoutout Professor Ann Kerr)!
Staying up late with my friends in Night Powell, grinding for finals and grabbing a sweet treat from Westwood afterwards.

What does it mean to you to have received scholarship support from donors?

It has relieved my burdens in buying school materials, finding housing, obtaining plane tickets to go home, groceries, etc. I am eternally grateful to these donors for shaping my experience at UCLA.

When I received the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service my sophomore year for my advocacy work on campus, it opened doors for me to study abroad in Amsterdam, Paris and Tokyo. I never had the means to travel to these countries before, and that summer reaffirmed my ambitions to attend graduate school for urban planning.

I heard about this selective fellowship through the UCLA Center for Scholarships and Scholar Enrichment and encourage everyone to use their services.

Speaking of the CSSE, what makes it so special?

The people! The CSSE student affairs advisors, who are also English Ph.D. students, work individually with each and every Bruin to make sure that your story comes to light and to strengthen your case for winning scholarships. As someone who currently works at CSSE, I have seen this process firsthand and can vouch for the compassion that runs that center. We mentor students, provide them a listening ear and lead them toward the direction of scholarships!

What are your future plans?

I will be attending the University of Michigan for my master’s in urban and regional planning on a graduate student instructor scholarship, studying how we can build more equitable cities through public transit, green spaces and restorative justice.

What’s your best advice for future Bruins?

Don’t be afraid to explore and start over! Every quarter is a new chance for you to get better at a different thing, pick up a totally whack class, make a new friend or speak to a cool professor during their office hours. There are so many opportunities for you here at UCLA, but it’s up to you to seek them out.

New Center for Neighborhood Knowledge Analysis Undercuts “Worst of the Worst” Deportation Claims

May 27, 2026/0 Comments/in Luskin's Latest Blog Paul Ong /by Peaches Chung

A new report from the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge (CNK), produced in partnership with Unseen, examines recent trends in federal immigration enforcement and finds a dramatic increase in ICE arrests, detentions and deportations of Latinos during the first 13 months of President Trump’s second administration.

The report “Latino ICE Arrests, Detentions, and Removals: Updates“ builds on previous CNK analyses and draws on federal immigration enforcement data from January 2024 through February 2026. Researchers found that Latino ICE arrests increased fivefold during that period, while Latino detentions peaked in December 2025 at more than three times the levels seen under the Biden administration.

According to the report, non-criminal immigrants increasingly became the focus of enforcement operations. Non-criminals represented 36% of Latino arrests, 33% of detentions and 32% of deportations under the Trump administration — significantly higher shares than in previous years. Meanwhile, the proportion of deportees categorized as violent offenders or “worst of the worst” declined substantially.

The report also highlights a major increase in community enforcement operations, including arrests in neighborhoods, workplaces and public spaces. Researchers found that nearly half of Latino arrests occurred through these highly visible interior enforcement tactics, contributing to a sharp rise in non-criminal detentions.

“This report shows a mass deportation apparatus targeting working people, families, and long-term community members with no criminal histories,” said CNK Director Paul Ong. “What we are witnessing is the normalization of an immigration system driven by volume, fear, and spectacle, not public safety.”

The report draws from data compiled by the Deportation Data Project, which is based at UCLA and UC Berkeley School of Law, and provides one of the most detailed analyses to date of immigration enforcement trends affecting Latino communities.

The full report is available here.

New toolkit helps communities prepare for heat Luskin Center for Innovation-led initiative offers practical guidance for local heat resilience planning and action

May 21, 2026/0 Comments/in Luskin's Latest Blog /by Peaches Chung

In March, an unexpected spring heatwave brought record temperatures to much of the western United States, prompting warnings in several states. This followed several summers of unprecedented heat across the country, and one message became clear: we must prepare for hotter days ahead.

But for many decision-makers and planners, this is a daunting task. While many heat-decision-making tools are available, communities often lack practical guidance on how to create heat action plans and, crucially, implement them to address the unique problems they face locally.

Not anymore. The UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation-led Center for Heat Resilient Communities has made a significant step toward bridging this gap with a new toolkit that gives communities a step-by-step guide to pinpoint their needs and match them with evidence-based planning activities.

“Building Heat Resilient Communities: A Toolkit for Local Planning, Decision-Making, & Action” features:

A primer on heat-related topics with definitions of key terms
Guided activities to collect evidence and engage organizations and community groups in decision-making
Integrated worksheets to support data organization and interpretation
Tools to develop customized and locally relevant heat resilience strategies

The toolkit provides information on concepts such as heat exposure and vulnerability; cultural and equity considerations for heat resilience; and how to best involve and collaborate with community members.

We brought together leading researchers, practitioners, advocates, and federal agencies to create resources to help communities engage in more coordinated and effective responses to heat-health risks. This toolkit fills a critical gap for decision-makers who understand the urgency of preparing for a hotter future but need guidance on strategies tailored to their local needs.

– V. Kelly Turner, associate director of the Luskin Center for Innovation and leader of the Center for Heat Resilient Communities

The Center for Heat Resilient Communities was a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Integrated Heat Health Information System-funded initiative that brought together a network of more than 50 researchers, practitioners, and US communities to engage in local heat resilience planning. When the grant was suddenly canceled in May 2025, UCLA rushed into action along with co-leads Ladd Keith at the University of Arizona and Sara Meerow at Arizona State University.

“Minutes before we were due to announce participants for the center, we got the notice: no more funding,” said Zach Wampler, a project coordinator for the Luskin Center for Innovation. “But we couldn’t let these community partners down. This toolkit is part of our continued efforts to find ways to empower communities to develop local solutions to a shared problem. Moving forward, we will continue our commitment through a collaboration with the Atlantic Council’s Climate Resilience Center.”

You can access the toolkit here. Learn more about the Luskin Center for Innovation’s research on other heat-related topics, including shade mapping.

How Public Affairs Helped Jesus Reyes Find His Voice and Community at UCLA With guidance from mentors and hands-on internships, Reyes is building a path toward a future in public service.

May 20, 2026/1 Comment/in For Students, Luskin's Latest Blog, Trailblazers /by Sheryl Samala

By Sheryl Samala

Jesus Reyes, a first-generation Latino from the San Fernando Valley, arrived at UCLA unsure of where he would find community. During his first year, he struggled to feel a sense of belonging. Originally a political science major, he ultimately found his place in public affairs, drawn to the program’s hands-on approach and focus on public policy.

Reyes credits Luskin’s undergraduate counselors with helping him navigate that transition. From guiding him through the application process to ensuring he stayed on track for graduation, the counseling team played a key role in shaping his academic and professional path.

“If it wasn’t for one of the counselors, Erika, I don’t think I would be where I am today,” says Reyes. “She motivates me to keep going.” He added that having mentors from similar backgrounds made a meaningful difference, providing not only academic guidance but also personal and professional support.

Reyes interned with Congresswoman Luz Rivas (CA—29) through the University of California, Washington Program (UCDC).

Through opportunities shared in Luskin’s student communications, Reyes secured his first internship in the California State Senate, working in the office of Sen. Caroline Menjivar. He later built that experience with roles in the offices of Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur and Congresswoman Luz Rivas, gaining exposure to policymaking at multiple levels of government. Now graduating in just three years, Reyes has made the most of his time at UCLA. He participated in the UCDC Quarter in Washington program, representing his home community on a national stage, and studied abroad in Paris, where he explored issues of globalization.

Reyes at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, during his study abroad program.

“A lot of the classes I took here in Public Affairs mirrored what I was learning abroad,” Reyes said. “Many of the concepts I learned in school directly reflected what I saw, experienced, and studied in Paris.”

Reyes encourages other students to step outside their comfort zones and take advantage of opportunities such as study abroad, where classroom concepts come to life in new and meaningful ways.

Far from the uncertain first-year student who arrived on campus three years ago, Reyes has steadily built on each opportunity he encountered at UCLA. His experience reflects the impact of Luskin’s hands-on approach—equipping students not just with knowledge, but with the experience and perspective to pursue careers in public service.

Reyes with members of his League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) fellowship cohort.

Amada Armenta and José Loya Honored by Los Angeles City Council Luskin faculty members were recognized during the “Impactful Chicanos in America” celebration.

May 15, 2026/0 Comments/in Luskin's Latest Blog, Urban Planning Amada Armenta, Jose Loya /by Peaches Chung

On May 8, 2026, the Los Angeles City Council recognized Luskin faculty members Amada Armenta and José Loya during its “Impactful Chicanos in America” celebration, honoring leaders whose work has strengthened and uplifted Latino communities across Los Angeles. The ceremony, hosted by Councilmember Imelda Padilla, brought together honorees spanning artists, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and scholars working to shape culture and policy in meaningful ways.

Armenta, director of the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (LPPI) and associate professor of urban planning, was recognized for her research on immigration enforcement and the criminal justice system—scholarship that continues to shape critical conversations on equity, policy, and justice. Loya was honored for his research on inequality in housing and homeownership within Latino communities, and its implications for addressing systemic barriers.

“It was an honor to be recognized at City Hall alongside other Mexican American leaders for the work we do at the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, where we use research to elevate Latino voices and perspectives in policy and public discourse,” Armenta said.

The full City Council proceedings, including the ceremony and remarks, can be viewed here.