Banner image. A photo shows a crowd of people dancing and celebrating on a patio at UFV; bright rainbow colours and Pride flags decorate in the space. Superimposed over the image are CHASI's signature orange triangles, all pointing to the right implying forward movement and progress.

CHASI projects take international stage at Pacific Sociological Association conference

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Photo of Allie and Veronica presenting on a stage. Allie is indicating towards a projected slide, which lists members of the CHASI team and context for a proejct.
Allie MacKay and Veronica Jeske present at the Pacific Sociological Association conference, March 2025.

Students and staff from the Community Health and Social Innovation Hub returned to the Pacific Sociological Association (PSA) conference for the second year in a row. The group of 16 CHASI representatives shared experiences and findings from CHASI’s work while learning from sociologists and practitioners in related fields over the course of four days (March 26–30) in San Francisco.

For many students, this was their first time at PSA, at a conference, or even travelling without family.

According to student research assistant Misha Dilshad, “PSA gave me the chance to hear from voices I wouldn’t normally get to learn from. It reminded me how much sociology can do when it’s grounded in real-world impact.”

Group photo of 15 members of the CHASI team posing in an airport at the end of the trip home. Many are wearing navy blue sweatshirts with CHASI written on them in orange letters.
The CHASI team at YVR after a long day of travel home. Standing, from left to right: Imran Tatla, Skylar Janzen, Misha Dilshad, Sharon Strauss, Chelsea Klassen, Regan Smith, Holly Cooper, Amrit Mahal, Jeff Mijo-Burch, Chloe Raible, Martha Dow. Sitting/kneeling: Madi McKenzie, Veronica Jeske, Jenna Kerr, and Christian Esquivel. Not pictured: Allie MacKay.

CHASI’s team presented our work in a variety of sessions and roundtables, with some focusing on CHASI’s model of research and others on specific projects. Below, you will find a list of the sessions we were included in, as well as the specific presentations and members of our team for each.

Photo of a building in the Castro District of San Diego. Five pride plags fly at the top, and beneath are the words "hope will never be silent."
Building in the Castro District of San Francisco

The team also had the opportunity to supplement the conference experience with additional learning. A tour of Alcatraz Island provided powerful context on the history of criminal justice to reflect upon as we continue our partnership with the Correctional Service of Canada at the Pacific Institution. Then, a street tour of landmarks in the Castro District showed what a vibrant queer community could look like. At the same time, it provided a sharp focus on the historical and ongoing struggles for the LGBTQ+ community in the United States, and the many ways that mirrors Canadian experiences.

We’d like to express our thanks to everyone who worked together to make this possible, including funding support from UFV, the wonderful organizers at PSA, and of course all of our students who stepped outside of their comfort zones to join in this incredible experience.

PSA 2025 presentations

Session: Unpacking Power and Possibility: Navigating Systems, Belief, and Belonging

Together Empowered: Intersectionality and the UFV Student Experience
Jenna Kerr, Research Assistant
Amrit Mahal, Student Research Assistant

Educating for Citizenship: Transformation and Activism in Times of Crisis
Dr. Martha Dow, Director

Session: (In)Equity and Systems of Power in Higher Education

Universities as Political Spaces
Dr. Martha Dow, Director

Session: Intervention, Inclusion, and Advocacy

Advocacy by Amplification: Mobilizing Knowledge Responsibly
Jeff Mijo-Burch, Communications and Design Specialist
Christian Esquivel, Graphic Design Intern
Sharon Strauss, Artist-in-Residence

Session: Community-Based and Applied Research

Pacific Institution Post-Secondary Project (learn more)
Holly Cooper, Research Assistant

Universities’ Role in Creating Educated Citizens to Mobilize Knowledge (learn more)
Regan Smith, Student Research Assistant
Skylar Janzen, Communications and Design Intern

Session: Social Psychology of Identity and Emotions

Cultural Crossroads: How Parent Child Dynamis And Ethnic Identity Steer The Course Of Love
Imran Tatla, Researcher

Session: Higher Education Unfiltered: Barriers, Responses, and Student Experiences

Course/Program Delivery Preferences: An Overview of Students, Surveys and Institutional Responses
Veronica Jeske, Research Assistant
Allie MacKay, Student Research Assistant

Session: Art, Culture, Popular Culture: Social Media Representations

The Sociology of Taylor Swift (learn more)
Chelsea Klassen, Lead Researcher
Madison McKenzie, Social Media Intern

Session: Navigating Inclusion, Resilience, and Environmental Challenges