Learning English/Learning America: Voices of Latinos and Asian American

Juana Mora, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Chicana/o Studies at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). Born in Jalisco, Mexico, she immigrated to the United States as a child and became the first member of her family to attend college. She earned a BA in Linguistics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a PhD in Education from Stanford University through a Ford Foundation Fellowship.

Dr. Mora’s research focuses on Latino communities, culturally responsive education, health, substance abuse prevention, and community-based research partnerships. Her work emphasizes improving Latino community health through collaborative approaches that center the experiences and needs of community members. 

Eunai Shrake, PhD is Professor Emeritus of Asian American Studies at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She earned a BA and MA from Presbyterian College, a Master of Theology (ThM) from Austin Presbyterian Seminary, and a PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles. During her tenure at CSUN, Dr. Shrake taught courses in Asian American Studies, contributing to scholarship and education on the histories, cultures, and experiences of Asian American communities. 

Ana Sánchez-Muñoz, PhD is a linguist and professor specializing in Hispanic linguistics, bilingualism, and language acquisition. Originally from Spain, she earned a BA in Philology from the University of Salamanca and a PhD in Hispanic Linguistics from the University of Southern California. Her research focuses on language variation and change, bilingualism, language contact, and the development and maintenance of Spanish among heritage speakers in the United States.

Dr. Sánchez-Muñoz is an assistant professor in the Department of Chicana/o Studies and a faculty member in the Linguistics Program at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). Her teaching and research examine Spanish-English language contact, heritage language development, and bilingual language acquisition, with an emphasis on how Spanish is learned, used, and maintained within multilingual communities.

Gina Masequesmay, PhD is a Professor and former Chair of the Department of Asian American Studies at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She earned her undergraduate degree from Pomona College and a PhD in Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her teaching and research focus on Asian American studies, immigration, race and racism, gender, sexuality, queer studies, and Vietnamese American experiences, with particular emphasis on the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability.

Dr. Masequesmay's scholarship includes Vietnamese American identity, entrepreneurship, LGBTQ+ communities, critical pedagogy, and social justice. She has co-edited works on Asian American sexualities, contributed to research on race and disability, and co-founded the CSUN Positive Space Program and Ally Project to support LGBTQ+ students. Her work also incorporates mindfulness and Buddhist psychology into education, reflecting her broader interest in healing, community well-being, and inclusive teaching practices.