I am a PhD candidate at the Ohio State University who grew up in Baltimore, MD. So far, my research has explored the gendered effect of race-based hair discrimination and the subsequent need for policy reform to effectively address race-based hair discrimination. As I continue my studies, my focus is shifting to the unique intersection between race and culture. As such, my upcoming research will explore the role of rejection in boundary work and identity formation. Moreover, I aim to explore the relationship between boundary work and intergroup conflict. This upcoming research is driven by two simple questions: 

1. How does rejection from a group impact the identity that one eventually develops?

2. How does that subsequent rejection impact the relationships between various groups as those rejected individuals presumably take on the identity of alternative groups?