Irene Franco Rubio is a scholar-activist, organizer, and first-generation Ph.D. student in the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, with a Designated Emphasis in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies and New Media. Her research examines intersectional coalition building and cross-cultural solidarity within multiracial social movements, focusing on how and why coalitions emerge and sustain themselves amid the challenges of movement siloing in the U.S. Southwest. Grounded in Comparative Ethnic Studies and Sociology, she employs a combination of methods—including interviews, participant observation, archival research, and participatory action research—to critically examine coalition-building processes and engage communities as active participants in the production of knowledge. Irene’s work bridges academic research, public discourse, and grassroots organizing, contributing to broader efforts to advance collective liberation.
Department and Institution:
Ethnic Studies, UC Berkeley
Bio/CV:
