Ren R
Graduate Research Assistant
Pronouns: She/Her
About
Ren is a community grounded scholar studying collective antiracist action among people racialized as white. Her community engaged scholarship interrogates material divestment and commitments to redistributive policies and reparations in white communities. In collaboration with community partners, Ren seeks to create strategies to influence action aimed toward racial and social justice. Ren’s research focus arose from her experience working with grassroots organizations and the need to develop effective strategies to engage community members in addressing and dismantling systemic racism and working toward the liberation of all people. Complementing her research, Ren bridges her academic focus with social justice by supporting reparations efforts in several municipalities and engaging in food sovereignty focused organizations in Chicago.
She currently serves as a Research Assistant for the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy (IRRPP) managing a project that explores the experiences of social studies teachers throughout Chicagoland engaging students in curriculum that include content and conversations about how race shapes our history and experiences. She has also contributed to public sociology work through the UIC Community Research Collaborative by addressing Chicagoans experiences with mental health crisis response and will continue to partner with community organizations seeking research collaboration.
Prior to UIC, Ren has a background working with community-led organizations and served as the Grants Manager for the Racial Justice Coalition of Asheville to acquire funding for research on reparations and the community’s vision for transformation. These experiences have shaped Ren’s commitment to cultivating relationships and community mobilization to enact policy and social change.