Sociologist Ariana Valle spoke with 112 Latina and Puerto Rican activists in central Florida during the 2016 presidential election and learned how they supported their communities in a region politically and racially hostile to Latinos. The study was published recently in the UC Press journal Aztlan.

A new report co-authored by UC Davis sociologist Ariana Valle documents steep economic costs for Los Angeles Latino business owners during the June 2025 surge, including an estimated $3.16 million in losses for local businesses and an uncertain financial future.

The American Dream as both idea and ideal, for all its complications, has had an undeniably powerful role in shaping values and aspirations in the U.S. and far beyond its borders. We spoke with faculty and students in the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis who represent a wealth of knowledge and perspectives that help us think about American society’s past, present and continuing potential.