Research

My research examines the Latinx experience in rural Southern Nevada, focusing on how individuals navigate belonging in a new immigrant destination. Using a framework of place, space, and belonging, I explore how intersecting identities—race, class, gender, sexuality, religion, and immigration generation—shape this process. Drawing on in-depth interviews and participant observation, I find that while Latinxs often build strong connections at the community level, they frequently face exclusion at broader institutional levels. My work contributes to sociological understandings of Latinx belonging in regions beyond traditional immigrant gateways.

 This project explores how live-streamed performances helped sustain the Grateful Dead fan community (“Deadheads”) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through observations and analysis of over 4,000 comments on tribute band Facebook streams, I examine how identity, connection, and cultural expression are mediated online. I argue that live streams became vital spaces for expressing community values, maintaining local ties, and finding therapeutic connection amid physical isolation. This research contributes to the growing field of live streaming studies by showing how digital spaces support both identity and community when in-person interaction is disrupted.