The Team
Who Are We?
Edwin Mayorga
(he/him)
Director and Co-Researcher
Edwin Mayorga, Ph.D. (he/him/his) is a parent-educator-activist-scholar, who is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Studies, and an affiliate of the Latin American/Latino Studies Program, at Swarthmore College. Edwin studies and writes about a number of things related to education, including racial-cultural inequality and urban school and neighborhood development, and racial/ethnic studies. He’s is the director and co-researcher of three major projects: the #BarrioEdProject, a youth participatory action research (PAR) collaborative and sanctuary-focused after school club; the Cultivating Community Together (CCT) study which is an examination of community+school partnerships in the Philadelphia; and the #EthnicStudiesPHL education network and curricular project, which documents and examines historical and contemporary approaches to racial and ethnic studies pedagogies in the Southeastern Pennsylvania region. While committed to research, teaching and activism, Edwin strives to prioritize his family, and as a result is often found at local parks with his spouse, Jen, and their sons Teo and Julian (Juju).
Eliza Murphy
(she/her)
Graduate-Level Co-Researcher
Eliza Murphy (she/her/hers) graduated from Swarthmore College in 2023, majoring in Educational Studies and Economics. She is now completing her Primary Teaching Certification and will be student teaching in the Two-Way Immersion Program at Southwark Elementary School in South Philly, where she grew up. Eliza learned to speak Spanish at Independence Charter School and has continued studying the language through college. She has been working on the Cultivating Community Together Study since 2021 and is excited to continue learning about families' and community members' experiences with community schools in Philadelphia.
Erika Davis
(she/her)
Post-doctoral Co-Researcher
Erika Davis, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) is an interdisciplinary educator, researcher, and community advocate from the Lehigh Valley (Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton) region of eastern Pennsylvania. Erika completed her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in 2023 with a specialization in Critical Studies in Race, Ethnicity, and Culture at the University of Florida. Her dissertation examined educational advocacy efforts amid gentrification and neoliberal, tax-incentivized development in the majority-Latinx city of Allentown, PA. Through a research fellowship with the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, CUNY (Centro), Erika developed an interactive StoryMap on the history of Puerto Ricans in Allentown and Bethlehem, PA. Currently, Erika is contributing to the Cultivating Community Together (CCT) study and looks forward to learning more about community partnerships and experiences in the context of Philadelphia.
Josué Ochoa
(he/him)
Undergraduate Co-Researcher
Josué Ochoa (he/him/his) is a senior at Swarthmore College where he is finishing his bachelor's degree in Educational Studies and Political Science. Under the wing of Dr. Edwin Mayorga, Josué continues to look at educational policy at the local level, which can be seen through his assistance in the study, Cultivating Community Together (CCT). Josué was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, which is a critical aspect of his desire to work in the local education system. His Mexican/Chicanx heritage plays a major role in his efforts to strengthen his community in Tucson and at large.
Heidi Berger
(she/her)
Project Co-coordinator & Undergraduate
Co-Researcher
Heidi Berger (she/her/hers) is a junior at Swarthmore College where she studies Sociology, Educational Studies, and Spanish. She is interested in going into academia as a professor involved in participatory action research on topics such as abolitionist teaching, bilingual school programs, and youth activism. Currently, Heidi is gaining experience in those areas as a research assistant on Dr. Edwin Mayorga’s Cultivating Community Together (CCT) study, which examines community and school partnerships in Philadelphia. When not busy with research or school, Heidi, who is originally from Vermont, enjoys spending her time outdoors – whether that’s walking in the woods or laying on the beach with a book.
Yu-Jing (Laine) Chen
(they/she)
Project Co-coordinator & Undergraduate Co-Researcher
Yu-Jing (Laine) Chen (they/she) is a sophomore at Swarthmore College. Before arriving at Swarthmore, their educational journey includes drifting among three cities in China: Beijing, Shenzhen, and Shanghai. They are a prospective urban sociology major, with a special interest in participatory action research and computational methods. They are also a music nerd who must have their headphones on 24/7. You can find Laine either jamming on their bass or grooving to its rhythm.
Daniela Trajtman
(she/her/ella)
Undergraduate Co-Researcher
Daniela Trajtman (she/her/ella) is a sophomore at Swarthmore College, where she is majoring in Political Sociology and double minoring in English and Educational Studies. She is interested in going to Law School and pursuing a dual degree: a JD (Juris Doctor) and an MSW (Master's in Social Work). Afterwards, she aspires to commit to a career in public interest law. She was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, which instilled in her the importance of advocating for others and using her voice to defend the rights of those who are marginalized. When not busy with work or school, she loves listening to music, collecting CDs, writing for the Orpheus Review (Swarthmore’s online music publication), and going live on her WSRN radio show.
Claress Bahamundi
(she/her)
Undergraduate Co-Researcher
Claress Bahamundi (she/her) is a junior at Swarthmore College. She is combining studies in Psychology, Education Studies, and Political Science to better understand how educational systems, policy, and cognitive development intersect. In addition to contributing to the Cultivating Community Together project, she serves as a Lang Center Associate for Education and Access and Inclusive Excellence Fellow on campus. Claress is passionate about uplifting the voices and stories of others, which is why she was drawn to the Participatory Action Research approach of this project. Outside of the classroom, she is an avid photographer, foodie, and reader.
Carolin Obispo
(she/her)
Undergraduate Co-Researcher
Carolin Obispo (she/her/hers) is a senior at Swarthmore College where she studies Educational Studies Black Studies with a minor in Environmental Studies. Originally from New York City, she is interested in going into teaching and educational policy related to public schools. Currently Carolin is gaining experience in these areas as a research assistant on Dr. Edwin Mayorga’s Cultivating Community Together (CCT) lab, where she learns about the relationship between families’ and community members’ with community schools in Philadelphia. When not busy with school, Carolin spends her time visiting museums, watching movies and reading a good book.
Ave Scanlon
(she/her)
Undergraduate Co-Researcher
Ave Scanlon (she/her/hers) is a sophomore at Swarthmore College studying biology and statistics. Originally from Atlantic City, she has had hands-on experiences working as a tutor and camp counselor for elementary school students. Currently, Ave is applying her experiences studying statistics on Edwin Mayorga’s Cultivating Community Together team as a research assistant. Outside of class, Ave likes to read, take care of her succulent garden and go to the beach.
Liv Johnston
(he/they)
Undergraduate Co-Researcher
Liv Johnston (he/him/they/them) is a senior at Swarthmore College where they are studying English Literature and Educational Studies. Liv is currently working towards getting his secondary teaching certificate, and is passionate about implementing and embodying abolitionist and liberatory frameworks in his future teaching practice. They are from Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and before coming to Swarthmore, had experience in both public and charter schools, both of which shaped their journey towards wanting to become an educator. In working with Edwin Mayorga’s Cultivating Community Together (CCT) project, Liv hopes to learn from community members and those with more experience in shaping liberatory pathways out of the educational system.
Siyi (Daisy) Ding
(she/her)
Undergraduate Co-Researcher
Siyi (Daisy) Ding (She/her) is a sophomore at Swarthmore College and plans to double major in psychology and education. Before coming to Swarthmore, she grew up and studied in Shanghai, China. In her free time, she enjoys listening to pop music, hunting for good food, dancing, and chilling at home! :) By working with Edwin Mayorga’s Cultivating Community Together (CCT) project, Daisy hopes to hear from community members and individuals with more experience in education policy and equity both within and outside the American education system and gain critical perspectives to compare different education systems to those she has previously experienced.