Biography
I am a white cis- gay/queer man pursuing my MA/PhD in Sociology at the University of Washington, Seattle. I was born and raised in the Bay Area of California to a single mom in a multi-generational, working class household. I grew up knowing education was important but I never thought I would gain the privilege to build my life around it. I received my BA in Sociology and American Indian & Indigenous Studies, with minors in History and Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2019. At UCSB, I was heavily mentored by the late Dr, Inés Talamantez, who with the help of many others, Dr. Felicia Lopez, Delores Mondragón, Dr. Tristan Bridges, and Dr. Zakiya Luna to name a few, shaped me into the scholar I am today.
PhD Committee: Dr. Sara Curran (Chair), Dr.Jelani Ince, Dr. Oliver Rollins
MA Committee: Dr. Judith Howard (Chair; Emerita), Dr. Heather D. Evans, Dr. Julie Brines, Dr. Tristan Bridges
Sexuality and Queer Studies Certificate Advisor: Dr. Kemi Adeyemi
Disability Studies Certificate Advisor: Dr. Heather D. Evans
Why do I research what I research: I strive to practice research that is decolonial, queer, and participatory … which can be a way of saying I try to do research that cares about and centers the community I work with. In my view, these approaches to research call into question the power dynamics long at work in academia which sought to objectify (to measure) subjects of research (French and Swain 1997; Smith 1999; Parrado et. al, 2005; Kovach 2009; Robinson 2019) and challenge institutional barriers held through methodological norms. Research is a circular process, where actions and reflections influence each other. Research is also a huge privilege that I have, it is an opportunity for me to be a resource, a facilitator, and most importantly a learner myself.
Deaf-Queer Project Site: https://sites.uw.edu/decarsky/research-projects/deaf-queer/