Críscila Ramos
Críscila Ramos is a first-year PhD student in the Diversity and Culture specialization. Before joining UConn, she worked as an attorney in Brazil, earned her bachelor’s degree in Law from Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora in Brazil in 2021, including a period of study at the Università Degli Studi di Camerino in Italy. She also completed her interdisciplinary master’s degree from Universidade Federal Fluminense in Brazil in Legal and Social Sciences in 2023. During this time, Críscila set out to analyze the international migration and work experiences of Brazilian women who emigrated to the United States, mainly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout her participation at the Human Rights Reference Center of the Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (Governador Valadares campus) and her professional career, she also contributed to outreach and research activities through educational initiatives and legal counseling for vulnerable communities in Brazil.
At UConn, Críscila explores the intersection of migration, human development, and social justice, examining how public policies shape the quality of life, health, and overall well-being of immigrant populations. She is advised by Dr. Kevin Ferreira van Leer and currently works on the Elevating Equity project, investigating how structural factors, such as variation in social policy exclusions for Immigrants, and the strengths and resources of Immigrant communities, such as community characteristics, are associated with the well-being of Immigrant families in the United States. Críscila believes in the benefits of a community engagement research approach and intends to continue using this methodology in her research to better understand the challenges these families face, with the goal of proposing more effective interventions that promote their health and well-being.
Críscila was born in the city of Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and enjoys spending her free time with family and friends, visiting new places, and learning new languages. She is passionate about research and intends to apply her interdisciplinary experience to promote the well-being of marginalized communities.
Zakiya Johnson
Zakiya Johnson is a first-year PhD student specializing in Diversity and Culture and Child and Adolescent Development. Prior to coming to UConn, she graduated magna cum laude with her Bachelors of Science in Psychology and a minor in sociology from Iowa State University. While at Iowa State, Zakiya participated in multiple research labs and projects, studying a range of topics from children's and adolescents' identity development to long-term romantic relationships in older adulthood. As an undergraduate student, Zakiya presented her research on Black girls’ and adolescents’ ethnic-identity development and its association with mental health and self-esteem at the 2023 Society for Research on Child Development. After graduating from Iowa State, Zakiya spent time in Minneapolis, working in clinical research, where she studied risk factors for dementia in aging Black Americans and biotechnology for atrial fibrillation patients. She has also served as a volleyball coach, study abroad mentor, and spent three years working in childcare and as a nanny. She credits these experiences for shaping her interest in youth development, education, and programming.
At UConn, Zakiya works under the mentorship of Dr. Marketa Burnett as part of The Dream Collab. Their work uses qualitative methods to center the voices of Black girls and parents to envision various ways to best support Black girls’ thriving. Long term, Zakiya plans to use research as a tool to create programming and influence policy that creates a more equitable society for all children, with a special interest in Black girls and adolescents. She aspires to produce research that amplifies the voices of marginalized youth, creating accessible, representative research that reflects and supports the experiences of under-researched populations.
Outside of academia, Zakiya enjoys playing volleyball, traveling, reading, knitting, and spending time with her friends and family. She is passionate about community building and engagement and enjoys volunteering, mentoring, and hosting events whenever her time allows.