Racial and Social Justice: Student Internship and Fieldwork Opportunity in Puerto Rico

We are pleased to share a 2026 grant-supported research opportunity focused on environmental justice, climate resilience, and Afro-Boricua women’s leadership in post-disaster recovery efforts in Puerto Rico.

Supported by the Racial and Social Justice Seed Grant and aligned with UCLA’s Rising to the Challenge initiative, this multidisciplinary project centers community-based, data-driven research on the disproportionate impacts of climate disasters on Afro-Boricua communities following Hurricane Maria.

About the Project: This project examines the intersections of empire, ecology, and climate adaptation through the experiences of Black women in Environmental Justice Communities (EJCs) in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. EJCs are often communities of color and low-income neighborhoods that face disproportionate environmental burdens, limited access to public services, and long-standing systemic exclusion.
 
Grounded in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the research addresses critical gaps in understanding recovery disparities, imperial legacies, property regimes, and the leadership of women in rebuilding historically marginalized communities in Loíza and beyond. The project also considers displaced communities across Puerto Rico and the mainland United States, especially in New York and Florida.

Student Research Opportunity

Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to participate in this multidisciplinary research project. Students with connections to the community are especially encouraged to apply.

The project prioritizes engaging students at every stage of the research process and offers mentorship in mixed-methods, community-engaged research. Students will work closely with faculty mentors and community partners while contributing to research that advances racial equity, social justice, and climate resilience.

Students will receive research mentorship, hands-on experience in multidisciplinary, social justice–focused research, opportunities for quantitative, qualitative, and geospatial research training, the potential for academic credit, and the potential for fully funded fieldwork opportunities in Puerto Rico

Research Activities

This mixed-methods project includes interviews, oral histories, and focus groups, alongside community-engaged and community-based participatory action research. Students and researchers will also conduct archival and document analysis, policy analysis, and quantitative analysis, supported by GIS and ArcGIS mapping. The work is complemented by site visits and fieldwork opportunities in Puerto Rico.

A key part of the research focuses on how colonial and imperial property regimes have shaped climate vulnerability, land tenure, and disaster recovery outcomes in Puerto Rico. Another major focus is documenting how Afro-Boricua women act as central nodes in rebuilding both social and physical infrastructure after disaster.
 
Why This Work Matters

This project addresses urgent questions of social justice, racial equity, and public impact. While Hurricane Maria received significant attention, far less research has focused specifically on Afro-Boricua communities and the added barriers they face in disaster recovery. By centering Black feminist scholarship, grassroots resilience, and community partnerships, this work seeks to generate knowledge that can better support locally grounded recovery and adaptation efforts.

At the same time, the project creates meaningful opportunities for students to gain immersive research experience while contributing to work that matters beyond the university.

Published: Tuesday, March 3, 2026