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Championing Mental Health Equity: Liza Li’s Journey from Luskin to Community Impact Luskin MSW alumna reflects on her fellowship, culturally responsive care, and serving older adults in AAPI communities.

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Liza Li, a UCLA Luskin social welfare alumna, is building a career centered on community-based behavioral health, culturally responsive care and mental health equity. In this Q&A, she reflects on receiving a fellowship, the value of her MSW training, and her commitment to serving older adults and AAPI communities.

Congratulations on being named a fellow in the National Mental Health Workforce Acceleration Collaborative, a program supporting early-career clinicians working toward licensure. What does this recognition mean to you at this stage in your career?

This fellowship represents a meaningful affirmation of my commitment to becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. At this stage in my career, as I work toward clinical licensure, this recognition reinforces my dedication to serving older adults, particularly older adults of color, and advancing mental health equity within underserved communities. It not only validates my passion but also provides critical support and guidance as I navigate my post-MSW path toward licensure and clinical practice.

Headshot of Liza Li

Liza Li

How has your Luskin MSW education prepared you for work in community-based behavioral health and clinical settings?

My MSW education at UCLA Luskin has provided me with a strong foundation in clinical theory and practice, along with a deeper understanding of the structural factors that shape mental health outcomes. Through my internship, I gained hands-on experience navigating the Los Angeles County behavioral health system, particularly in serving older adults and communities of color. I developed skills in client engagement, care coordination, interdisciplinary collaboration, and connecting clients to community resources.

Luskin’s emphasis on cultural humility has shaped my commitment to providing culturally responsive, person-centered care. Overall, my journey at Luskin has prepared me to effectively integrate clinical skills with community-based practice to serve diverse and underserved populations.

Your work focuses on mental health equity for older adults and AAPI communities. What personal or professional experiences have shaped this commitment?

My commitment to mental health equity for older adults and AAPI communities comes from both my personal background and professional experiences. Growing up as a first-generation AAPI immigrant, I witnessed how mental health stigma affected my own family, especially older relatives, who often struggled in silence due to cultural expectations and limited access to community-based care. These experiences made me acutely aware of the barriers faced by people of color, particularly older adults, and inspired me to pursue a career where I could make a meaningful difference.

Through my MSW training and fieldwork, I have gained a deeper understanding of the systemic challenges these communities encounter, which continues to fuel my dedication to providing culturally informed, person-centered care and advocating for mental health equity.

As a trilingual clinician, how do language and cultural responsiveness show up in your day-to-day work with clients and families?

As a trilingual clinician, language and cultural responsiveness are central to my day-to-day work with clients and families. Being able to communicate in a client’s preferred language helps build trust, foster rapport, and ensure they feel truly heard and understood. Beyond language, I pay close attention to cultural values, norms and personal experiences that shape how clients perceive mental health, seek support and engage in care.

I strive to understand each client as a whole person, considering all aspects of their life, not only cultural background, so that my approach is comprehensive, respectful and person-centered.

What advice would you give to current UCLA Luskin MSW students or recent graduates who are interested in clinical licensure and community mental health work?

I would advise current UCLA Luskin MSW students and recent graduates to seek diverse clinical experiences early and explore where their passion lies, including placements that offer both individual therapy and community-based work. Ultimately, the communities we serve need dedicated social workers, and with commitment and perseverance, you can make a meaningful impact.

From Milan’s Paralympics to Paris: Bohnett Fellows Gain a Global Perspective on Hosting Inclusive Games Students got a behind-the-scenes look at planning, accessibility and legacy across two global host cities.

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John Kerr and Peyton Johnson, David Bohnett Fellows at UCLA Luskin, traveled to Milan for the 2026 Winter Paralympics and on to Paris for high-level planning sessions. They gained a front-row look at how international events are planned, executed and organized with accessibility in mind.

The trip, made possible through UCLA Luskin’s partnership with the David Bohnett Foundation, offered Kerr, a master of urban and regional planning student, and Johnson, a master of social welfare student, a front-row perspective on the challenges and processes involved in organizing Olympic and Paralympic Games.

John Kerr and Peyton Johnson stand together in front of Seine River in Paris, France.

John Kerr (left) and Peyton Johnson (right) stand in front of Seine River in Paris, France.

In Milan, the fellows participated in intensive sessions with city officials and the Milano Cortina Organizing Committee (MiCo OCOG), focusing on the Cultural Olympiad — the programming surrounding athletic competitions — and the logistics required to deliver an inclusive and equitable experience for athletes, spectators, and community members alike.

After Milan, the fellows continued to Paris, where they studied post-Games planning and accessibility efforts following the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Team members from the Office of Major Events visited the historic Verona Arena, site of the Paralympic Opening Ceremony, for an accessibility tour. They saw improvements designed to make the 1st-century coliseum more accessible for people with disabilities, including the installation of its first elevator — all while preserving the venue’s iconic architecture. The fellows also observed how MiCo26 organizers transformed the space for a spectacular Opening Ceremony featuring more than 600 athletes from 55 nations and artistic performances that highlighted the unifying power of sport.

“Standing in a 2,000-year-old stadium, built by the Romans, and seeing how it was being updated to become accessible to people with different mobility needs showed me that positive transformation is possible anywhere and everywhere,” Kerr said. “Accessibility is a challenge and must be at the forefront of how we plan for the 2028 Games.”

For Kerr, the experience also underscored the complexity and flexibility required to host global events.

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are totally unique, and despite being a regular occurrence every four years, the production of the Games is basically built from the ground up each time,” he said. “The approach of each host city also varies considerably… Los Angeles doesn’t need to strive to replicate the experience of prior hosts, it’s really up to us to define the experience for ourselves.”

That lesson was reinforced through direct conversations with planners abroad.

“Talking with urban planners in Milan and Paris, I was actually really struck by how much unites us,” Kerr said. “We shared a common goal of improving our cities bit by bit, day after day, for the betterment of our communities.”

Observing the Paralympics firsthand gave both fellows a deeper understanding of how infrastructure, policy and design intersect to shape equitable experiences.

Johnson noted in particular how cities can leverage major events to drive long-term change.

“Observing the MiCo26 Winter Games while they were happening and visiting Paris two years after hosting the Paris24 Summer Games illuminated the opportunity for meaningful change sparked by major sporting events,” she said.

Luskin MURP and Bohnett Fellow, John Kerr, on a tour of the Paralympic Village, Milan, Italy

MURP and Bohnett Fellow, John Kerr, on a tour of the Paralympic Village in Milan, Italy.

In Milan, she noted, investments in transit and cultural institutions prioritized accessibility, while Paris has continued to redesign neighborhoods to ensure inclusive public spaces.

“From cultural institutions to public works to sport organizations, both Paris24 and MiCo26 turned a one-time global event into a legacy of accessibility and inclusion that will continue to benefit citizens for generations,” Johnson said.

As Bohnett Fellows in the Mayor’s Office of Major Events, both students are uniquely positioned to translate these global lessons into local impact. The fellowship, established in 2007, provides outstanding UCLA Luskin graduate students with hands-on experience in city government, placing them in high-level roles where they contribute to pressing urban challenges.

For Johnson, the trip reinforced the broader mission behind Los Angeles’ preparations for the 2028 Games.

“The LA28 Games present Los Angeles with the opportunity of a lifetime to advance equity throughout the city and reimagine our governing systems,” she said. “Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games is no small task, but returning to the guiding principles of accessibility and equity always motivate the work.”

Q&A with Negin Dadmarz: Advocate for Health and Mental Health Across the Lifespan

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In the past, you’ve served in several leadership roles such as Vice Chair of the University Student Union Board of Directors and the Associated Students Incorporated Health and Human Services Representative. Now, as an MSW student at UCLA Luskin, how have these leadership experiences influenced the way you initiate change for your community’s social welfare?

My leadership experiences have made me a more intentional, collaborative, and systems-focused advocate for social welfare as an MSW student at UCLA Luskin. Serving on boards taught me how policy, budgets and organizational structures directly shape people’s everyday experiences. This awareness now guides me to think beyond individual interventions and consider the systemic changes, rules, policies and processes that must shift to create lasting impact.

Negin Dadmarz.

Negin Dadmarz

In practice, I apply this perspective through active participation in committees, structured feedback to departments and support for student organizations advancing social justice and equity within the MSW program. As former vice chair and a college representative, I learned to center stakeholder voice and participatory decision-making. I continue to create listening spaces for peers, amplify concerns around field education and financial stress, and co-design solutions that reflect collective input rather than top-down decisions. Drawing on motivational interviewing principles, I facilitate these dialogues with empathy and collaboration, helping peers articulate shared goals and identify actionable steps toward change. These leadership roles have strengthened my skills in agenda-setting and strategic communication — tools I now use to drive institutional change through collaborative meetings, and advocacy initiatives addressing mental health and financial issues on campus and beyond. Through this work, I’ve also expanded my professional network by actively engaging with faculty, alumni, and fellow students who share a vision of equity-centered education and practice.

Building on these collaborations, I am currently leading efforts to bring the Financial First Responders training developed by the Asset Building Clinic in partnership with my former undergraduate faculty mentor, Dr. Joanna Karczewska, and Dr. Liz Barnett, to UCA Luskin School of Public Affairs MSW program. This initiative equips social work students with foundational financial capability skills to better support clients across diverse communities and populations. I have worked closely with Professor Michelly Talley, who oversees the first-year AOC Health and Mental Health course, the training is scheduled for implementation in Spring 2026. The program bridges clinical practice, motivational engagement, and economic empowerment. This project exemplifies my commitment to integrating systems thinking, cultural humility, and financial well-being into social work education while transforming institutional partnerships into tangible, equity-driven impact.

Where do you see yourself a decade from now and what do you hope to have achieved in social welfare and advocacy?

A decade from now, I envision myself as a licensed clinical social worker continuing to serve in community mental health settings that center low-income, immigrant, and BIPOC communities. I hope to have deepened my clinical expertise in evidence-based modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and prolonged exposure therapy, providing trauma-informed and culturally responsive care to individuals often marginalized within systems of care.

Alongside clinical practice, I plan to continue my research on how financial stress impacts mental health and to expand the reach of the Financial First Responders training in collaboration with the Asset Building Clinic. My vision is to make this program accessible to all social workers, equipping the next generation of practitioners with financial capability skills that empower clients across communities and service settings.

My long-term goal is not only to provide high-quality direct services but also to contribute to the field through mentorship and program development. I aspire to support emerging social workers, particularly first-generation students, immigrants, and clinicians of color, in integrating their lived experiences into their professional identities. I am also committed to developing group protocols, curricula, and psychoeducational resources that reflect the strengths and realities of the communities we serve.

Ultimately, I envision myself shaping a future in which advanced clinical practice is inseparable from equity and inclusion. By grounding my work in strong clinical skills, systems thinking and an ongoing commitment to social justice, I aim to help move the field of clinical social work toward more responsive, culturally grounded and economically empowering care for all.

What advice would you give future students entering the MSW program who also hope to pursue a concentration in health and mental health?

My advice to future MSW students pursuing the Health and Mental Health concentration is to approach the program with curiosity, openness and self-compassion. The learning curve can be steep, but every challenge, whether in the classroom, during supervision, or in field placement, is an opportunity to grow both clinically and personally. Lean into your cohort and field supervisors for support; some of the most meaningful insights will come from shared reflection and collaboration. Take time to explore different evidence-based modalities and populations to find what resonates with your values and clinical style. Most importantly, stay grounded in your “why,” the communities and stories that drew you to this work. They’ll help sustain you through the academic challenge of graduate training and remind you that growth as a clinician is as much about humility and empathy as it is about knowledge and skill.

Supporting Democracy, Coexistence and Cultural Identity in Israeli Education UCLA research explores how schools can foster empathy, reduce violence and build long-term coexistence through inclusive learning environments.

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Organized by the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies and co-sponsored by multiple UCLA departments, including the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, lecture “Supporting Democracy, Coexistence and Cultural Identity in Israeli Education” explored how education can foster coexistence during periods of war and heightened conflict. The event brought together Karen Tal, Director General of Amal Educational Network; Mona Khoury, professor of social work and Vice President for Strategy and Diversity at the Hebrew University; and Ron Avi Astor, UCLA professor of social welfare, who presented a collaborative initiative with the Amal Educational Network.

The lecture highlighted research and practice designed to help students see the humanity in one another through curriculum, dialogue and school-based exchanges. Speakers emphasized that education systems can either reinforce division or cultivate empathy, mutual understanding and social justice. By implementing structured interactions and inclusive policies, schools can reduce prejudice and foster a shared civic identity.

Astor’s large-scale research project, involving 30,000 students and 100,000 adults, examined how school environments influence bullying, violence, and social cohesion.

“Through decades of study, we’ve seen that when schools create positive, welcoming climates, students thrive,” said Astor.

“The Israeli Ministry of Education adopted our program and implemented it across schools. Over time, even amid ongoing violence, war, and the challenges students face outside the classroom, there has been a 50% to 70% reduction in violence—including serious incidents as well as the day-to-day experiences students face. This demonstrates that when schools teach in intentional, supportive ways, children are better equipped to navigate the outside world—even when that world can be incredibly difficult.”

The lecture underscored that schools are critical spaces not only for academic learning but also for shaping the social and moral frameworks necessary for long-term peace and coexistence. To watch the full lecture, visit here.

UCLA researchers and local partners host clean soil event at Watts community garden The team, including students, staff, and UCLA faculty screened 100 soil samples.

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Researchers across UCLA are partnering with community organizations to test soil samples from neighborhoods across Los Angeles County for contaminants such as lead and other heavy metals. A key leader in this work is Kirsten Schwarz, an associate professor in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health who also teaches at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. Schwarz co-leads the LA Urban Soil Social Impact Collaborative, a community-university partnership that provides soil testing, education and practical guidance to help residents understand and manage potential risks in their yards and gardens.

Through a series of field events — including a recent testing day at MudTown Farms in Watts — the team has already screened hundreds of soil samples for local residents and offered consultations on ways to improve soil health and safety. Schwarz emphasizes that while testing is an important first step, communities also need accessible solutions, such as soil amendments and clean soil, to reduce exposure risks.

Read the full article to learn more.

At home in two worlds, father and daughter are a living connection between UCLA and Homeboy Industries Cianna and Cesar Ulloa are rooted in Homeboy Industries, the venerable L.A. institution known for transforming lives

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Researchers at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs have examined Homeboy Industries and its relationship-centered approach to rehabilitation and community support. Among them is UCLA Luskin professor Jorja Leap, whose decades of research on gang intervention, violence prevention and reentry has included close work with Homeboy to understand how mentorship, community and trauma-informed care help people rebuild their lives.

by Ron Mackovich-Rodriguez

An eastbound Metro train rumbles on an elevated track above Homeboy Industries’s home in downtown Los Angeles near Chinatown. It’s part of the city’s burgeoning light rail network, set to connect downtown and UCLA in time for the summer Olympic Games in 2028.

The track noise goes unnoticed at Homeboy’s lively headquarters as scores of people stream in for a big morning meeting.

“I grew up around here, so these people have known me since I was little,” Cianna Ulloa said as she and her father, Cesar Ulloa, passed through Homegirl Café. The popular spot for coffee and uniquely L.A. cuisine is always hopping, and they can’t get more than a few steps before a familiar face stops her for another chat, hug or both.

Old family photo of UCLA student Cianna and her father Cesar Ulloa former gang-member. They both went through programs at Homeboy Industries.

Cianna and her father Cesar Ulloa.

Cesar lets everybody know Cianna is a third-year sociology student at UCLA. She’s quick to add something.

“My dad inspired me to do it,” Cianna said. “Just to see him better his life for me and for my entire family was so encouraging.”

Cesar Ulloa manages retail merchandizing at three of the organization’s thriving locations. He works nonstop overseeing sales of Homeboy’s popular apparel and mugs, some of which bear inspirational messages.

“You are exactly what God had in mind when he made you,” Cesar reads to Cianna from the back of a Homeboy t-shirt.

Life as an engaged, professional father is decades removed from Cesar’s life as a young man who didn’t expect to live long. He retells his story with clear-eyed reflection, as he did when Julio Frenk became the first UCLA chancellor to visit Homeboy Industries in January.

“Before I got to Homeboy, I was heavily involved in drugs and gangs,” he said. “It separated me from my family, from my kids.”

“One of the things we have to get used to at Homeboy is change,” Cesar said. “When I started, I was like, ‘Change what? I’m used to this. I was raised this way. There were drugs on the floor. Coming out of the house, there was a shooting. I saw older people getting beaten.”

“My dad was in survival mode back then,” Cianna said. “So many Homeboys were in survival mode before they got here. Change starts with being open and being honest, being OK with what has happened in the past to transform into the person you want to become.”

Images of Cesar and Cianna, taken nearly two decades ago, show an undeniable bond. Other pictures of Cesar, taken in and around Ramona Gardens in Boyle Heights, show a young man with a harder expression. It’s a face watching for danger around the dark corners of violent streets and lockups.

When Cianna was just a few years old, Cesar wrote messages to her in a leather journal, believing at the time she might read them after he passed away.

“I would write to Cianna, ‘This is what I want you to do when you grow up. This is what I want you to look out for.’ Then I thought, ‘I want to tell her these things in person.’ It was writing to Cianna that planted the seed for a different future. After a number of rehabs where I didn’t get it, I came to Homeboy Industries and I was able to turn my life around.”

Cesar’s former life is decades in the past, though its memories are never far from the minds of a father and daughter who lost a brother and uncle to gang violence.

“If it wasn’t for Homeboy, I wouldn’t have made it to UCLA,” Cianna said, remembering her teenage years in the organization’s summer youth programs, creating art and strengthening her writing prowess.

“My world expanded. I was able to gain new experiences, new skills and that prepared me for life at UCLA. I’m incredibly grateful that my mom and dad supported me, and I want to be more like my father.”

While still in high school, Cianna authored a research paper about the effectiveness of Homeboy’s rehabilitation efforts.

“I learned how important one-on-one case management is,” Cianna said. “That taught me social work was the path for me, a path of service and helping others.”

That tie between past and future, between UCLA and Homeboy, father and daughter, is illustrative of the connection between the two organizations.

UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk visits Homeboy Industries

Ron Mackovich-Rodriguez/UCLA Newsroom
UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk (far left) visits Homeboy Industries

UCLA’s connections to Homeboy include research into the organization’s relationship-focused programs through the Luskin School of Public Affairs. In addition, a UCLA Health physician has supported Homeboy’s tattoo removal services. Several Homeboy alums have also graduated from UCLA, including Romen Lopez.

One of Homeboy’s executive leaders is UCLA alumna Shirley Torres, a strong presence in the lives of the Ulloa family who welcomed Chancellor Frenk during his January visit.

Father Greg Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries and a close friend of Cesar Ulloa, was among key leaders at a multifaith conversation at UCLA in late February. The event was hosted by the UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute and the UCLA Center for the Study of Religion.

Cesar and Cianna Ulloa were in the audience.

Before heading back across town, Cesar takes a walk with his daughter across a UCLA campus enlivened by a Bruin basketball victory over USC at Pauley Pavilion. The energy is noisy and spirited, much like it is every morning at Homeboy.

Cianna is equally at home in both places. The first in her family to attend university, she is past the halfway point through her third year as a sociology major, minoring in civic engagement and social change. Her future is open, but focused.

“I would like to work with at-risk youth, possibly drug rehabilitation or children’s social work,” Cianna said. “The path is still broad, but I do know that I want to help people.”

A future of service, of giving back, is a pleasing vision for a father whose horizons did not extend past graffiti-covered walls.

“Looking at my baby girl walking on this campus with everybody else, it’s a proud feeling to see her succeed,” Cesar said.

Luskin Alumn AJ Kim Receives 2026 Marilyn J. Gittell Activist Scholar Award San Diego State planning professor honored for community-engaged research advancing immigrant rights, environmental justice and health equity.

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Associate professor of city planning at San Diego State University and Luskin alum AJ Kim has been named the 2026 recipient of the Marilyn J. Gittell Activist Scholar Award, presented by the Urban Affairs Association and SAGE Publishing. The annual award recognizes scholars whose research bridges academic inquiry with on-the-ground community activism, honoring the legacy of political scientist Marilyn J. Gittell and her commitment to community-engaged urban scholarship.

Kim, an associate professor of city planning at San Diego State University, has spent more than two decades working with immigrant rights and environmental justice organizations in the United States and internationally. Kim also leads the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation–funded project “Geospatial Mapping for Alternative Health Assets” and created an interactive ICE Detention Tracker that maps detention facilities and resources for affected communities.

Reflecting on the project, Kim said, “I saw the need for a broader, nationwide, accessible visualization of the re-opening of detention centers and where they are located. Maps, particularly counter-maps, are uniquely powerful community and participatory tools that offer an alternative narrative: counter-maps can challenge narratives of criminalization by documenting policing (instead of crime, for example).”

Protecting the Ballot: Inside UCLA’s Voting Rights Project Chad Dunn on protecting the fundamental right to vote through litigation, research, and student advocacy

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Voting is supposed to be a right—but in America, it’s never guaranteed.

Even in California, a state widely regarded for its robust voter protections, local jurisdictions can dilute votes through local rules, district boundaries, and administrative practices. From city councils to school boards, the mechanics of democracy still decide whose voices are heard.

For Chad Dunn, legal director and co-founder of the UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP), that reality is precisely why the work exists.

“Every generation of Americans and every generation of people in a democracy has to re-secure their democratic rights,” Dunn says. “They’re never permanently safe.”

headshot of Chad Dunn

Chad Dunn

Dunn, who also serves as a lecturer at the UCLA School of Law and the Luskin School of Public Affairs, describes the program as blending high-stakes litigation with rigorous research and hands-on student training.

“The Voting Rights Project is training the next generation of voting rights practitioners,” he explains, “whether it be lawyers, data scientists, or courtroom experts, to secure democracy in the future with real-life active cases and published research.”

Founded in 2018, the project has grown steadily. At any given time, between 30 and 40 students are involved, working directly on cases that span the country.

Dunn makes clear that voting rights in the United States are not static, they “ebb and flow, as we’ve seen throughout American history.” While constitutional and statutory protections exist at the federal and state levels, discriminatory practices persist, which makes enforcement essential.

“The Voting Rights Project is training the next generation of voting rights practitioners, whether it be lawyers, data scientists, or courtroom experts, to secure democracy in the future with real-life active cases and published research.”

The VRP addresses this reality by taking on cases nationwide — including in Texas, Florida and Georgia. While some states require heightened oversight, Dunn notes that California is not immune, pointing to instances in which counties, local governments, and school districts have engaged in vote dilution.

Central to much of this work is the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the landmark federal law which prohibits racial discrimination in voting. Dunn discusses how this law operates in practice and how students in the project are trained to identify and prove violations under the Act.

“One of the key provisions that we teach in our course is what it takes to prove a Voting Rights Act claim,” he says. “And that is under attack throughout the country at a level that we’ve not seen in 30 or 40 years.”

The project currently represents Latino voters in Texas and Washington, Native voters in New Mexico and Montana, Asian American communities, and African American voters in multiple jurisdictions. A case in Galveston, Texas, Dunn notes, has had nationwide implications and is ultimately on its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Voting Rights Project team stands in front of the States of United States Court HouseDunn is particularly emphatic about correcting a common misconception: that voting rights litigation is inherently partisan.

“The Voting Rights Project is here to protect everyone’s right to vote,” he says. “We’ve brought cases in communities where candidates of choice for the people we were protecting were Republicans. We’ve brought cases where they were Democrats.”

He stresses that voting rights laws are not about guaranteeing partisan outcomes or ensuring that demographic groups elect specific candidates. “A lot of people get confused that voting rights relate to your entitlement to have so many Democrats in office or so many Republicans,” Dunn says. “These laws don’t have any consideration for those things.”

Instead, the focus is on the individual voter. “What we do is focus on the interests of the individual voters and ensure that whatever the voters’ choices are—whether it’s to have a Black elected official or a white elected official, or Republican or Democrat—those choices are respected and counted,” he says. “That’s the fundamental right to vote.”

One of the VRP’s primary areas of engagement is redistricting. While voting is the act of registering and casting a ballot, geographical location also plays a critical role.

“We can give you the right to vote… we can count your vote… but if we draw you in a particular geography, we can make sure that you’re never actually able to elect your candidate of choice.”

The project analyzes congressional, state legislative, city council, and school district maps. Students examine district histories, racial demographics, voting patterns, and the map-drawing process itself. When discrimination is found, VRP begins with community advocacy, engages enforcement agencies, and files suit if necessary.

This combination of litigation, data analysis, and advocacy exemplifies the project’s interdisciplinary approach. While many participants are law students gaining courtroom experience, the project also includes social scientists, data scientists, and students from anthropology, history, and even medical school.

“One of the fantastic things about UCLA is the diversity of our students,” Dunn says—not only in background, but in talent and interests. “The neat thing about the Voting Rights Project is you can have varying interests and still gain a lot from the program—and you can provide a lot to the program.”

In a typical year, Dunn and his team average two to four trials. Weeks of preparation culminate in courtroom arguments shaped by months or even years of research, collaboration, and strategy. Beyond litigation, VRP conducts analytical projects such as dispersion plots to visually track voting patterns, studies on redistricting techniques, and other research critical to proving cases in court.

For Dunn, the mission is as much about the future as it is about responding to the present.

“American history shows that every generation has needed people on the front lines to defend our right to vote. What we’ve built here at UCLA Luskin is a center dedicated to training those people—it’s truly one of its kind in the United States.”

“Black Joy Unfiltered” Draws Packed House at UCLA Nimoy Theater Michael Harriot and Michael Lens reflect on Black history, neighborhoods, and lived experience during a Black History Month Luskin Lecture Series event.

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A line of people stretched down Westwood Boulevard before the doors even opened for “Black Joy Unfiltered: A Conversation with Michael Harriot and Michael Lens” on February 25. By 6 p.m., students, faculty, and community members packed the UCLA Nimoy Theater for a Luskin Lecture Series event presented in partnership with the UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies.

The evening brought together two distinct voices examining Black history and Black neighborhoods — one through public storytelling and cultural critique, the other through decades of research on segregation and urban policy — in a candid, wide-ranging conversation about the lived experiences of Black communities.

The discussion was moderated by Safiya U. Noble, the David O. Sears Presidential Endowed Chair of Social Sciences at UCLA and a MacArthur Fellow known for her scholarship on algorithmic discrimination.

“I wanted to write a book about the history of America from the eyes of Black people, and gives us a version of our history that centers us.”

Harriot, author of the New York Times bestseller “Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America,” spoke about his motivation to reframe American history. “I wanted to write a book about the history of America from the eyes of Black people,” he said. “I wanted to examine America through that lens, not through the language of academia, but write a book that gives us a version of our history that sounds like us, that centers us, without filtering it through another perspective.”

Lens, whose book “Where the Hood At? Fifty Years of Change in Black Neighborhoods” examines long-term patterns in Black communities, reflected on his scholarly approach to segregation and neighborhood change. “I have long been interested in how neighborhoods shape our lives, and it’s one area of research I try to build on.” He noted that so much of segregation research has historically been shaped by white scholars and often frames Black neighborhoods primarily in relation to whiteness. “Black neighborhoods were never really the main character in this kind of research, and I really wanted to make the Black neighborhoods the main characters in the book I wrote,” Lens said.

“Events like this matter because before we talk about solutions, we have to understand historical context.”

Throughout the evening, Noble guided the discussion through themes of economic and political transformation, structural inequality and the resilience embedded within Black communities.

For many students in attendance, the conversation offered both reflection and affirmation. “I appreciated how the discussion stayed unfiltered, using humor to navigate difficult truths about American history and Black neighborhoods,” said Public Affairs undergraduate major Sheryl Samala. “Events like this matter because before we talk about solutions, we have to understand historical context. We already have research that reveals the legacy of discrimination — the real challenge is making sure meaningful change is actually implemented.”

Following the discussion, guests lined up for a book signing where Harriot and Lens greeted readers, signed copies of their books and continued informal conversations late into the evening.

The Luskin Lecture Series is designed to enhance public discourse on topics relevant to today’s societal needs. Bringing renowned public intellectuals and scholars together with national and local leaders, the Luskin Lecture Series presents issues that are changing the way our country addresses its most pressing problems. For more information on upcoming Luskin Lecture Series events, please click here.

Black Joy Unfiltered

A Fulbright Winner’s Passion for International Education Public Affairs alum is teaching English while immersing herself in Kenyan culture

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young woman with glasses

Laila Wheeler

During her time as a UCLA undergraduate, Laila Wheeler BA ’25 kept a busy schedule. A triple major in Public Affairs, Education and Sociology, she worked as an opinion editor for the Daily Bruin, conducted research on racism and maternal health in Black communities, mentored high school students preparing for college, and earned prestigious fellowships and internships to work on human rights and education initiatives in Ghana and South Africa.

“My interactions with diverse communities at UCLA and beyond shaped my worldview and interest to explore educational spaces globally,” said Wheeler, who is currently teaching English in Kenya as the recipient of a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student award, which supports students in teaching and research projects across the globe.

Wheeler is also leading a community service learning course to advance civic engagement, while learning Swahili and immersing herself in Kenyan culture, history, language, and nature.

She is among 12 UCLA students and recent graduates selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program in 2025-26, placing the university among the top producers of Fulbright students in the nation. Funded primarily through the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright Program fosters international academic and professional exchanges that build mutual understanding among Americans and people of other countries.

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