Grace Pena

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Why I'm majoring in Urban Studies: Urban Studies is an incredibly interdisciplinary major, which has allowed me to explore classes across various departments. I've loved learning more about the forces that shape cities, the lives of the people within them, and how legacies of segregation, redlining, and gentrification continue to affect communities today. Whether your passion lies in affordable housing, homelessness prevention, healthcare, environmental justice, or politics, Urban Studies will equip you with the tools to analyze and address these issues/systems.

Favorite Class: Introduction to Urban Studies with Dr. Kahan! It was such a comprehensive course, and one of the major case studies was Chicago, so I may be a little biased. It largely contributed to my decision to major in Urban Studies and introduced me to really awesome people who share some of my interests.

Honors Thesis or Research Interests: I am exploring the structural and social factors that have contributed to the relocation of Latine households from inner-city Chicago to the suburb of Cicero over the last 30 years, as well as the processes of placemaking that residents undergo to cultivate belonging in their new homes.

Other academic interests (major, minors): A minor in Data Science