S2E22: A Conversation About Unaccompanied Migrant Children w/ Stephanie L. Canizales, PhD

Brian interviews Stephanie L. Canizales, PhD, a researcher, author, and professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, where she is Faculty Director of the Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative. She earned her PhD in Sociology from the University of Southern California (2018).

Stephanie specializes in the study of international migration and immigrant integration, with particular interest in the experiences of Latin American-origin immigrants and their descendants in the United States. Over the last decade, Stephanie has focused her work on the migration and coming-of-age of unaccompanied children from Central America and Mexico in California and Texas. Throughout her research and writing, Stephanie explores the role of immigration policy in shaping the everyday lives of migrant children and their families, how immigrants and the communities they arrive to (re)make one another mutually, and immigrants’ articulations of success and wellbeing within an increasingly unequal US society. Stephanie’s first book, Sin Padres, Ni Papeles, takes on many of these issues.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Stephanie is the daughter of Salvadoran immigrants whose experiences growing up as unaccompanied youth in Los Angeles motivate her commitment to public scholarship. Stephanie’s research has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times, among other outlets. She also uses her expertise to inform policy through her work as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Resident Scholar and a UNICEF USA Research Consultant.

In this episode, Brian and Dr. Canizales explore the experiences of unaccompanied immigrant youth, focusing on their identities, challenges, and resilience. Dr. Canizales shares her research on Central American youth, highlighting personal stories that illustrate the complexities of their migration journeys. The discussion delves into gender dynamics, workplace exploitation, and the importance of community support in fostering resilience among these young individuals. Ultimately, the conversation evolves into community-based solutions and the significance of listening to the voices of youth in shaping effective support systems.

To learn more about Dr. Canizales and her work:

• Bio: https://www.stephaniecanizales.com/
• Dr. Canizales's Book Sin Padres, Ni Papeles: Unaccompanied Migrant Youth Coming of Age in the United States: https://www.sinpadresnipapeles.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniecanizales/

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