Previous Cohorts
2020-2021 Research Fellows, Affiliates and Interns
Research Fellows
Nafisa Ahmed, Racial and Partisan Gerrymandering Project
Nafisa Ahmed is a junior at William and Mary majoring in Sociology and Mathematics. Nafisa is working with Professors Salvatore Saporito (Sociology) and Dan Maliniak (Government) to create an online tool that detects racial gerrymandering in legislative districts and to conduct outreach to members of the General Assembly and other activist groups.
Miranda Huffer, Eviction Crisis Project
Miranda Huffer is a rising Junior and a Sociology and American Studies double major. Miranda is working with Professor Caroline Hanley to better understand the legal foundations of Virginia's high rates of eviction, and to document the perspectives of tenants facing eviction so that their needs and priorities can inform the policy process.
Jordyn Hodge, Educational Equity Project
Jordyn Hodge is a junior from Northern Virginia, majoring in Sociology with a minor in Latin American studies. Jordyn is working with Professors Monika Gosin, Jennifer Bickham-Mendez, and Amy Quark on a community-engaged research collaboration with The Village Initiative, a grassroots organization focused on educational equity in the Williamsburg-James City County (WJCC) School District. Jordyn is collecting and analyzing data related to educational integration to inform a collaborative community book project.
Elizabeth Snyder, Educational Equity Project
Elizabeth Snyder is a senior at William & Mary originally from Richmond, Virginia. She is studying Sociology with a concentration in Social Problems, Policy, and Justice alongside a minor in History. Elizabeth is working with Professors Jennifer Bickham-Mendez, Monika Gosin, and Amy Quark to provide research support across several projects related to Educational Equity. She is supporting the preparation of data for analysis and of drafts for publications on topics ranging from the experiences of Latinx and English Learner students in the schools to the limits and possibilities of educational integration.
Ericka Torres, Educational Equity Project
Ericka Torres is a junior from Sterling, VA majoring in Government and Sociology with a concentration in Social Problems, Policy, and Justice. Ericka is working with Professors Jennifer Bickham-Mendez and Amy Quark in a community-engaged research project with The Village Initiative, a grassroots organization focused on educational equity in the Williamsburg-James City County (WJCC) School District. Ericka is involved in data organizing, coding, and analysis towards a peer-reviewed journal article that seeks to understand how and under what conditions social movements can successfully push for deeper educational integration.
Research Affiliates
Amber Bowman, The Food Justice Project
Amber Bowman is a rising senior. She lives in Norfolk, Virginia, but grew up in Batavia Illinois. She is a Sociology major with a concentration in Health, Medicine, and Well-Being, a Biochemistry minor, and on the premedical track. Amber is working with Professor Amy Quark and Dr. Travis Harris (PhD, American Studies ’19) to explore the legacies of racial dispossession on food insecurity and health disparities in Williamsburg-James City County. Amber is participating in research and writing for a peer-reviewed publication.
Morgan Pincombe, The Food Justice Project
Morgan Pincombe is a senior from Middleton, WI majoring in International Relations and minoring in Public Health. Morgan is working with Professor Amy Quark and Dr. Travis Harris (PhD, American Studies ’19) to explore the legacies of racial dispossession on food insecurity and health disparities in Williamsburg-James City County. Morgan is participating in research and writing for a peer-reviewed publication.
Emma Schmidt, Eviction Crisis Project
Emma Schmidt is a rising senior from Warrenton, VA majoring in Sociology with a minor in Data Science. Emma worked together with Professor Hanley to develop an original survey to be administered in high eviction neighborhoods, and she uses GIS to examine neighborhood variation in eviction rates. Emma is currently building a database of eviction court proceedings in Virginia. After graduation Emma is interested in using her data analysis skills to solve problems.
Kailyn Small, Eviction Crisis Project
Kailyn Small is a rising senior from Richmond, VA majoring in Sociology with a minor in Educational Studies. Kailyn worked together with Professor Hanley to develop an original survey to be administered in high eviction neighborhoods, and is currently constructing a timeline of residential segregation and eviction in Richmond. After graduation Kailyn is interested in working in schools and then doing work on educational policy.
Sonia Kinkhabwala, The Local Black Histories Project
Sonia Kinkhabwala is a senior and a Sociology major, with a minor in Management and Organizational Leadership. Sonia is working with Professors Omiyẹmi (Artisia Green, Africana Studies and Theatre) and Amy Quark (Sociology) to support The Local Black Histories Project, which is a collaborative project involving The Village, the WJCC School Division, and W&M to teach local Black histories in the K-12 school system. Sonia is participating in data collection, analysis, transcription, and indexing of oral histories and other archival documents to support this project.
Abigail Boyce, The Local Black Histories Project
Abigail Boyce is a senior from New Hope, PA and a double major in International Relations and Sociology, with a concentration in Social Problems, Policy, and Justice.Abigail is working with Professors Omiyẹmi (Artisia Green, Africana Studies and Theatre) and Amy Quark (Sociology) to support The Local Black Histories Project, which is a collaborative project involving The Village, the WJCC School Division, and W&M to teach local Black histories in the K-12 school system. Abigail is participating in data collection, analysis, transcription, and indexing of oral histories and other archival documents to support this project.
Interns
Ruth Hailemeskel, Let Freedom Ring Foundation Historic First Baptist Church
Ruth Hailemeskel is a sophomore at William & Mary, originally from Alexandria, Virginia. She intends on double majoring in Sociology and Kinesiology with a concentration in Public Health. Ruth is working with the Let Freedom Ring Foundation, an organization that works to create a lasting legacy that honors African American history in the First Baptist Church organized in 1776. Ruth is supporting the Foundation’s work and particularly the work of its Scholarship Committee in establishing a scholarship competition for high school students to engage with African-American history. 
Mya White, Let Freedom Ring Foundation, Historic First Baptist Church
Mya White is a senior at W&M from Smithfield, Virginia. She is an English major with a minor in Public Health. She is the President of the W&M Chapter of NAACP, a volunteer with the Lemon Project Society, and a member of Alma Mater Productions’ Committee on Cultural and Contemporary Issues.
Mya is working with the Let Freedom Ring Foundation, an organization that works to create a lasting legacy that honors African American history in the First Baptist Church organized in 1776. Mya is supporting the Foundation’s work and particularly the work of its Scholarship Committee in establishing a scholarship competition for high school students to engage with African-American history.
Kailyn Small, YJCW-NAACP
Kailyn Small is a rising senior from Richmond, VA majoring in Sociology with a minor in Educational Studies. Kailyn is working with the NAACP, Yorktown-James City County-Williamsburg Chapter (https://www.yjcwnaacp.org). The NAACP works to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights of all persons to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. Kailyn is supporting the NAACP’s efforts in the areas of civic engagement, economic development, education, and legal redress.
Leah Wright, YJCW-NAACP
Leah Wright is a transfer student from Thomas Nelson Community College, who is now majoring in Sociology with a concentration in Social Problems, Policy, and Justice. Leah is working with the NAACP, Yorktown-James City County-Williamsburg Chapter (https://www.yjcwnaacp.org). The NAACP works to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights of all persons to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. Leah is supporting the NAACP’s efforts in the areas of civic engagement, economic development, education, and legal redress.
Kibiriti Majuto, The Village Initiative
Kibiriti (pronounced as KI-bi-ree-tee) is a student, organizer, and brother who proudly hailed from The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kibiriti is a senior at William and Mary, planning on majoring in Sociology with a concentration in Globalization and minoring in Africana Studies. Through this internship, Kibiriti is working with The Village Initiative, a local grassroots organization focused on educational equity. Kibiriti is conducting applied research on inequities in local schools to support The Village Initiative in producing its annual Equity Report and presenting it to the WJCC School Board. In addition to this policy research, Kibiriti supports The Village Initiative by monitoring school board meetings, taking meeting minutes, etc.
Kersey Neal, The Village Initiative
Kersey Neal is a senior from York, Maine. She is majoring in Sociology with a concentration in Social Problems, Policy, and Justice. Through this internship, Kersey is working with The Village Initiative, a local grassroots organization focused on educational equity. Kersey is supporting The Local Black Histories Project, which is a collaboration between The Village, the WJCC School Division, and W&M to teach local Black histories in the K-12 school system. Kersey is building a web-based archive of materials related to local Black histories and engaging in community outreach to identify additional archival materials.
