Laura A. Roldan Arreola

About

Background: 

Laura is a first-generation Mexican immigrant who came to the United States at the age of sixteen in pursuit of educational opportunities. Upon arriving, she found herself navigating the space between two cultures, often feeling conflicted by the social structures and challenges within each. These experiences shaped her understanding of identity, belonging, and resilience, ultimately inspiring a lifelong commitment to advancing mental health care equity, empowering disenfranchised populations, and promoting social justice—particularly within immigrant communities.

Today, Laura is pursuing her Bachelor’s degree and plans to continue to graduate school to become a licensed social worker. Her goal is to provide culturally responsive mental health care and advocate for immigrant communities to ensure that everyone, regardless of background or status, has access to compassionate and equitable support.

Research Interests:

Laura is particularly interested in understanding how experiences of shame, trauma, displacement, and cultural stigma come together to shape communities. Her interests focus on the ways systems of social and economic support, legal status and enforcement, child protection and family services, and health care can inadvertently disenfranchise these communities. Through her research, she hopes to advance culturally responsive and equitable approaches to mental health care and policy advocacy that honor and strengthen communities.