Building Justice
‘Building Justice’ originates from Sacramento State’s Center on Race, Immigration and Social Justice. (CRISJ). The podcast explores critical issues affecting our communities with the hope of creating a healthier and more just world. The ongoing conversations between the Sacramento State community and regional partners aim to spark understandings, empathies, and motivation to join the struggle for a better future for all. For more information about CRISJ, go to www.csus.edu/crisj/buildingjustice. Thanks Underdog Music for creating our podcast music.
Episodes
This episode features a group of Chicana/Latina PK-12 through higher education leaders from across Sacramento and Central California whose upcoming book, Latinas in Educational Leadership: A collection of counterstories from scholar-practitioners (Feliz & Buitrago, Fall 2026), reimagines leadership through a Chicana/Latina framework. The book’s authors and a few of their contributors discuss the significance of Chicana...
Listen in as four Sacramento State professors discuss the university’s budget, its priorities, and the need to increase funding for academics to better support students and the university’s educational mission. Through compelling stories and critical analysis, they reveal how budget decisions are impacting the classroom, faculty working conditions, and student success. The conversation highlights the real human impact of u...
In this second episode of “Fanning the Flames,” Dr. Elvia Ramirez interviews two first-generation college students, Diana Rangel and Chris Nuñez, who discuss the ways that the CRISJ Mentoring Program marked a pivotal moment in their academic journeys. Both Diana and Chris describe how the program offered not just guidance, but a sense of belonging, connecting them with faculty mentors and peers who validated their goals an...
Join Dr. Elvia Ramirez as she interviews Sac State alumni Demonza Hunter and Hector Rodriguez, whose experiences in the CRISJ Mentoring Program showcase the powerful outcomes that emerge when research, mentorship, and personal experience intertwine. Demonza and Hector share how the program helped them turn personal histories and research interests into meaningful research projects and transformative career paths. Along the...
In this episode of Building Justice, hosts Dr. Susanna Curry and Dr. Arturo Baiocchi from Sacramento State’s School of Social Work are joined by Dr. Ethan Evans to explore the concept and impact of Guaranteed Income programs. The conversation highlights the differences between guaranteed and universal basic income, the effects of providing unconditional cash payments to individuals and families, and local initiatives led b...
Join Dr. Elvia Ramirez and Dr. Maria Vargas, faculty members at Sacramento State, for a compelling conversation on the past, present, and future of Chicanx/Latinx Studies at the university. In this episode, Dr. Ramirez traces the roots of Ethnic Studies at Sac State, spotlighting the powerful activism of Mexican American/Chicanx students who helped establish the discipline on campus. The discussion then shifts to a dynamic...
Dr. Marie L. Mallare-Jimenez hosts Professor Emeritus Daniel Phil Gonzales for a riveting breakdown of the DT 2.0 administration’s radical “Project 2025.” In this third, and last, episode of State of Affairs: Reality or Fiction, the pair critically analyzes how this sweeping policy agenda threatens civil liberties, targeting birthright citizenship, deploying mass deportation strategies, and weaponizing billionaire power th...
In this special episode of State of Affairs: Reality or Fiction, host Dr. Marie L. Mallare-Jimenez welcomes Professor Emeritus Daniel Phil Gonzales for a gripping conversation on the far-reaching implications of the DT 2.0 administration's "Project 2025." From plans to revoke birthright citizenship and enforce mass deportations, to the controversial creation of DOGE under Elon Musk's influence—this episode dissects the dis...
Listen in as Dr. Araceli Feliz, Dr. Elvia Ramirez, and Dr. Heidy Sarabia, professors at Sacramento State, analyze the influence of Latino voters in the 2024 election. The significance of Latino voters has become a highly debated yet frequently misunderstood topic in the context of the 2024 presidential elections. This discussion provides insights into Latino demographics, voting patterns observed during the 2024 election, ...
Listen in as Victor Rodriguez Tafoya shares a conversation with Joshua “Gunner” Johnson, Director of the Underground Scholars Program at UC Davis and a key founder of Project Rebound at Sacramento State. Project Rebound provides critical educational resources and support for formerly incarcerated individuals, offering counseling, mentoring, academic services, and career development to help them transform their lives. Gunne...
In this episode, Victor Rodriguez Tafoya interviews Coach Paul Casey, the owner of Better You Fitness in Hayward, California, who has transformed his own life after spending time in prison. Coach Paul is dedicated to helping others—particularly moms—develop strong mindsets, boost metabolism, and build healthier bodies so they can create better environments for their families. Join us as we explore Coach Paul’s mission and ...
Listen in as Anthony Jones, Ari Uzzle, and Victor Rodriguez Tafoya discuss the critical topics of social justice, activism, and criminal justice. Communities of color experience unique challenges within the criminal justice system. For instance, Black communities in California face incarceration rates 9.5 times higher than those of white individuals. This podcast follows the journey of an individual who transitioned from a...
Episode 2: Woman Leaders! A Platica with the Leaders of the Serna Center and Dreamer Resource Center
The Serna Center and Dreamer Resource Center at Sacramento State are home to various resources for Latine students. In this episode, we speak with Juana Zaragoza and Kimberly Gomez, program directors of the Serna Center and Dreamer Resource Center, respectively.
Listen in as Associate Professor of Political Science Danielle Joesten Martin talks with Rana McReynolds, Sac State alum and Assistant Professor of African American Studies at San Jose State, about her research on how mass media stereotypes of Black women shape evaluations of Black women candidates in the United States. They discuss Rana’s academic journey, her intersectional research, and the implications of her research ...
Listen in as Sacramento State Professor Elvia Ramirez interviews Dr. Marisela Martinez-Cola about her book, The Bricks Before Brown: The Chinese American, Native American, and Mexican Americans’ Struggle for Educational Equality. In her book, Dr. Martinez-Cola examines the many legal cases that preceded the well-known 1954 school desegregation case, Brown v. Board of Education. Tune in to hear Dr. Martinez-Cola talk about...
In this episode, Communication Studies student Victor Tafoya and Associate Professor of Sociology Dr. Lina Rincon interview the Associate Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO), Stephanie Cruz. Stephanie discusses her work to build awareness on how to prevent sexual assault. She offers insights on the global history of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. She also shares details on how to get educated and join the mo...
Sacramento State’s 2023 Model United Nations cohort joins the Building Justice podcast in a special episode to discuss their recent participation in both domestic and international National Model United Nations (NMUN) conferences, experiences in the MUN program, and the impact of international relations in their undergraduate studies.
In this episode Political Science graduate student Veronica Mozqueda and Environmental Studies Department Chair Dr. Wayne Linklater talk about air pollution research in Sacramento's environmental justice zones.
Sacramento State Political Science undergraduate Mai Lam talks with ASI President Natalie Dominguez and Vice President Veronica Boulos about the role of student government on Sac State’s campus. They focus on key agenda points such as Title IX, changes in FASFA, and basic needs provision.
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