Ishita Srivastava is a Research, Practice, and Policy Scholar at the Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative (BIMI), where she focuses on health inequities and expanding medical access for marginalized communities. As an Indian immigrant and a graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in Molecular and Cell Biology, she brings a unique perspective to the intersection of research, policy, and community advocacy.
Her research explores systemic barriers to care, particularly for rural and underserved populations. She has published work on innovative solutions for reducing health...
Avery Samai is a Research Analyst with the Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative (BIMI) and a student at UC Berkeley pursuing degrees in Political Science and Society and Environment. She is passionate about human rights, climate justice, and international policy. She is interested in studying the intersection between international affairs and the environment to promote peaceful and sustainable communities across the world.
Beyond BIMI, Avery is a volunteer college counselor for low-income, first-generation, East Bay high school seniors through...
Jonanne Talebloo is a Research, Practice, and Policy Scholar at the Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative (BIMI), where she explores the intersection of healthcare access, policy, and immigrant health outcomes. As an Iranian American with a degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley, she combines her research background with a deep commitment to addressing health disparities affecting immigrant and refugee communities.
Her research focuses on social determinants of health and healthcare inequities, with...
Brisa Rodriguez is a graduated student from UC Berkeley, majoring in both Psychology and Legal Studies. From a young age, she witnessed the barriers her two immigrant parents faced due to the lack of resources and advocacy. Brisa Rodriguez is passionate about learning the multifaceted aspects of immigrant populations and connecting underrepresented people to resources. She has volunteered at Oasis Legal Services, aiding in the immigration process. Additionally, she has also served as a JusticeCorps member for the Alameda Superior Courts, providing assistance to self-represented litigants...
Arabi Hassan has an undergraduate degree in Sociology from UC Berkeley and during her time at UC Berkeley worked as a researcher at the Human Rights Investigations Lab. Her experience as an immigrant has taught her the importance of developing effective policies and programs that will ensure immigrant communities have the resources they need to thrive. Arabi Hassan was a Collegium Fellow in the 2018-2019 Collegium Fellowship at BIMI.
Arnold Foda was a BIMI Collegium Fellow at BIMI who contributed to data collection for the Mapping Spatial Inequality Project and helped incorporating research in undergraduate teaching as part of the 2018-2019 Collegium Fellowship.
Christopher Moreno graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Sociology. During his time at UC Berkeley, he contributed to BIMI's work in different capacities. He has helped with the data collection for the Mapping Spatial Inequality Project and was the BIMI undergraduate communications fellow for the academic year 2018-2019.
I am a scholar of the 19th and 20th centuries, my research centering on the socio-legal development of American immigration and citizenship policy. My dissertation, "Making Modern American Citizenship: Citizens, Aliens, and Rights, 1865-1965," examines how political and economic "rights of citizenship" grew in number and breadth (such as voting, blue-collar public employment, and access to professional licenses) as they were increasingly denied to noncitizens. It explores how...
I major in Sociology with minors in Education and Public Policy. Growing up in the Bay Area, I've witnessed the complexities of immigrant integration and the effect of immigration policies on marginalized communities. I believe research can inform effective programs and policies that ensure immigrant communities have the necessary resources to lead healthy and successful lives.
I study the intersection of climate and migration. Specifically, I analyze the role that drought plays in the displacement of people from Central America's Dry Corridor and how coastal communities globally are likely to retreat from rising sea levels. Relating the evidential links between a changing climate and human displacement to pressing global governance priorities is also a central focus of my work.
Publications:
Depsky, N. and Pons, D., 2020. Meteorological droughts are projected to worsen in Central America’s Dry Corridor throughout the 21st century. Environmental...
