Undergraduate Departmental Representatives
Undergraduate departmental representatives serve as a resource and representative for fellow majors and minors and potential majors and minors, and bring student concerns and/or ideas to the program faculty. They also provide feedback to the program chair and faculty regarding scheduling problems and course offerings, and help organize events for majors, minors and other interested students.
2025-26 UDRs
Hello, my name is Monica Lopez Hernandez, and I am a sophomore double-majoring in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Politics while minoring in Philosophy. I am Mexican American and am originally from Portland, Oregon.
On campus, I am Co-President and one of the founders of Sázon, which is the first Latine Dance group at Brandeis. I am the secretary for the Brandeis Student Union, General Meetings Coordinator for the Femme of Color Alliance, and an MKAP Scholar. I am also part of the leadership board for the Student Success Support Program here at Brandeis.
I hope to continue learning more about the impact that the Latine population has on U.S politics and how it continues to shape our elections and government, as well as the initiatives that are needed to continue legal education within the community.
I'm Gustavo Nascimento, a first-generation college student from São Paulo, Brazil. I'm currently double-majoring in Anthropology and Environmental Studies, with a minor in LACLS.
I center my studies on decolonial and community-based perspectives to examine cultural heritage, identity, and social justice. I'm passionate about understanding the complexities and richness of Latinx and Latin American communities, which grounds all of my research. At Brandeis, I was researching the cultural migration and evolution of Brazilian dance traditions, and I'm currently exploring topics like Rights to Nature governance through a Latin American lens. I also serve as co-president of the Brazilian Student Association and am a Gen One Advisory Board member, where I support fellow first-generation students.
Among the many activities I do outside of campus, my main one is contributing to the Youth Advisory Committee of the Science Panel for the Amazon, where I help bridge scientific knowledge with youth perspectives on social justice and climate action in the Amazon basin. I also lead various photography projects that document cultural narratives.
You’ll often find me at cultural events, documenting candid moments with my camera, or sparking conversations about identity, justice, and the diverse futures of the Latinx diaspora. Come chat with me if you ever see me around.
Hello! My name is Emily Pahuamba and I am a junior double majoring in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies (LACLS) and Anthropology, with minors in Linguistics and Studio Art. My interests in LACLS range from Indigenous communities, immigration, diaspora, and subcultures within Latin American and Latinx communities. My interest focuses in the ways that Indigenous communities from Latin America assert their identities and sustain their cultures while living in the United States. Outside of academics, I'm a community advisor (CA) and an Intercultural Center Student Ambassador. In my free time, I enjoys creating art, exploring new places, and staying active.