Festival of Scholars

An annual celebration of research, scholarship, and creativity

April 27 - May 1, 2015

Center for Equality and Justice: Research in Service of Communities

Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Time: 3:30pm - 4:55pm
Location: Lundring Events Center
Description: This session features research projects funded through the Center for Equality and Justice Fellowships for Research in the Service of Communities. The fellowships supported faculty-student research teams with the goal of producing high-quality, empirical scholarship as well as raising awareness, informing decision makers, and promoting community wellbeing on issues related to justice and equality. All are welcome!

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Student Abstracts at this Session

Student(s):
Rahuldeep Gill
and Caleb Arndt

Faculty Mentor:
Rahuldeep Singh Gill
Understanding Sikh Engagement in Southern California

This qualitative study sought to provide preliminary data about the community engagement of a Southern California Sikh religious community. Our community-building project aimed to empower members of the Sikh religious community by understanding their engagement with the broader County community in light of national engagement trends of Sikh-American communities.
Student(s):
Louise Kelly

Faculty Mentor:
Louise Kelly
Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior of Ethic Minority Toddlers

The rise in childhood obesity has been associated with an increase in the incidence of obesity-related metabolic abnormalities in children, especially pediatric type 2 diabetes metabolic syndrome polycystic ovarian syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Furthermore, there are distinct disparities across culturally diverse groups in the prevalence of obesity and pre-disposition to obesity-related complications such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. This increase in pediatric obesity has increased the awareness of decreased physical activity and increased sedentary behavior particularly in the pediatric population is a major public health concern. The overall goal of this study was to examine the physical activity levels and sedentary behavior patterns of children aged 12 to 36 months from an ethic minority background, specifically Hispanic and African Americans.
Student(s):
Alicia Nunez
and Dr. Sheridan Wigginton

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Sheridan Wigginton
No Me Llames Oaxaquita: How Indigenous Mexican Populations Navigate Barriers in Public School

This presentation highlights a research project that hopes to facilitate the development of educational materials about the cultures, histories, and languages of indigenous Mexicans living in Ventura County. These materials are meant to support the Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project's (MICOP) "Resolution for Respect for Indigenous Peoples," which the Oxnard School District adopted into policy. The resolution has a specific emphasis on creating a climate of cultural respect, diversity, and promoting Mexican indigenous history. This presentation highlights specific needs expressed by MICOP in its "Don't Call Me Little Oaxacan" campaign and the hurdles to inclusion experienced by indigenous Mexican students in Oxnard schools, which are primary based on differences of language, physical appearance, culture, parental employment, and socioeconomic status. Using a compilation of interviews with those identifying as "Mixteca", the project explores what this population requires in order to overcome hurdles of educational exclusion in Ventura County.