FCHC 2025

This presentation examines the informal designation of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) as terrorists by the Reagan administration, a narrative perpetuated through media and government rhetoric despite the lack of official designation from any U.S. agency. Historically contextualized, the study explores how this characterization influenced public perception and justified U.S. interventionist policies, exacerbating tensions in Nicaragua-U.S. relations. Although lacking formal designation, the terrorist label fostered widespread public suspicion and sanctioned economic and military intervention under the guise of counterterrorism. This presentation reveals how terminology shaped both political decisions and scholarly discourse, underscoring the importance of nuanced language in international relations. This analysis contributes to a broader understanding of political labeling’s role in shaping public, and academic perceptions and emphasizes the need for caution in employing terms that hold lasting geopolitical consequences. 

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Using Sarah Pink’s Doing Visual Ethnography as a reference for producing my film Pelicans and Them: Who Pesters Who? I explore subject representation in multi species ethnography. Creating work that represents a subject requires reflexivity, accomplished through using subject participation to create material. Visual Anthropology offers a unique method of presenting topics in Multispecies ethnography. However, the principals and methods of visual anthropology are discussed in the context of human subjects that can communicate with the researcher. How do these principles apply to speechless subjects such as Brown Pelicans? In the process of filming Pelicans and Them: Who Pesters Who? I balanced reflexivity and narrative construction to visually present the complexity of the Brown Pelicans intra-actions with humans on the fishing pier. To combat researcher bias and balance fact and narrative I used subject based observation and perspective focus to present common interactions between the Pelicans and Humans. 

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Language barriers can significantly affect therapy-seeking behavior among bilingual immigrant college students, limiting access to critical mental health resources. This study combines a comprehensive exploration of existing research with an empirical approach to address the mental health needs of this population. By integrating prior findings with newly collected data, the project aims to provide actionable solutions to reduce these barriers. The research focuses on designing and conducting surveys at Miami Dade College, starting with the Eduardo J. Padrón Campus. These surveys will assess bilingual immigrant students' mental health needs, their likelihood of seeking therapy if offered in their native language, and perceived obstacles to accessing mental health care. Insights gathered will inform the development of a multilingual text message crisis line as a scalable and accessible resource tailored to the needs of diverse student populations. The findings aim to demonstrate the critical importance of culturally competent mental health services and advocate for systemic changes, such as increasing the availability of bilingual therapists and expanding training opportunities for mental health professionals. This project emphasizes the role of language accessibility in fostering stronger therapeutic relationships, improving emotional expression and identity, ultimately encouraging students to seek the support they need in the more appropriate, comprehensive, flexible ways. By integrating existing literature with new data, this study contributes to a broader understanding of therapy-seeking behavior among bilingual immigrant students and underscores the need for innovative, linguistically inclusive mental health solutions in multicultural communities like Miami.

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Designer’s Studio, created in collaboration with the Little Lighthouse Foundation, is an innovative program hosted at the Branches Community Center in Florida City. Currently working with a class of 10 middle schoolers, the program introduces participants to architecture and graphic design, inspiring them to explore their passions and equipping them with the tools to make well-informed academic and career decisions.

The program addresses a critical educational challenge: the high rates of students switching majors or dropping out of college due to a lack of career clarity. By providing early exposure to creative disciplines, Designer’s Studio helps young participants build confidence in their abilities and reduce uncertainty about their future paths. Through hands-on workshops, mentorship, and interactive projects, participants not only develop technical and artistic skills but also gain the confidence needed to envision fulfilling careers in the arts.

In addition to its direct impact on students, Designer’s Studio serves as a model for inspiring passionate students and professionals in other fields to create similar initiatives. By showing how community-driven projects can foster creativity and empower youth, the program highlights the transformative potential of education and mentorship.

This presentation will explore how Designer’s Studio addresses academic retention and community engagement, inspiring a broader movement to use creative education as a tool for personal and social impact. By preparing the next generation of architects, designers, and innovators, the program contributes to a more inclusive, dynamic, and sustainable future.

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Many people underestimate the importance of maintaining good oral health, often assuming that any issues in the mouth stay confined there. However, this misconception overlooks the significant, systemic implications that poor hygiene can have on the body. Periodontitis, a common gum disease triggered by inadequate brushing and flossing, affects roughly 42% of adults aged 30 and older in the United States. Beyond its local effects, periodontitis initiates immune responses, inflammation, and even bacteremia– responses that cascade through the body and can lead to atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque on arterial walls. These plaques are usually composed of fats, cholesterol, and other substances, which are central to the development of coronary heart disease. 

In essence, poor oral hygiene may serve as a critical and often underappreciated precursor to heart disease. Recognizing this connection highlights the holistic role of oral health in supporting cardiovascular wellness, underscoring the need for integrated health practices that view the mouth as an essential component of overall health.

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Within days of completing his Third Symphony, Pyotr Tchaikovsky began work on scoring a ballet that would change the genre. this study explores the compositional and aural devices deployed in Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake,’ creating an audio-visual connection to the story that is ‘Swan Lake’. The initial performance of the ballet was noted as a failure with complaints of the scoring being ‘undanceable,’ causing Tchaikovsky to change his process of composing his later ballets. Choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov took the score and created one of the most performed ballets today. Through the use of the iconic oboe leitmotif and characterization defined by key area and rhythm, Tchaikovsky created an aural association between the characters on stage and the compelling story being told by the music. This research explores how Tchaikovsky used thematic material and transformation with examples such as Odette’s theme and her transformation from swan to princess, comparing the supporting roles of the Corps de Swans and the Royalty regarding the main plot, and the influence of Baron von Rothbart’s thematic material on the themes of key characters. Together between the musical story created by Tchaikovsky and the compelling dances created by later choreographers, a deep connection between the audience and art is created.

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Journalism has shifted from aiming to telling true stories to exaggerating stories to appeal to a broader audience. Media corruption raises the question: Do mainstream media sites give a broad enough and accurate scope of political and social perspectives? This research uses case studies in Peru, Ukraine, Kenya, and the United States to analyze how news sites at the local and global levels cover stories concerning national politics and social movements. These case studies revealed that local-level media tend to cover these issues more accurately since coverage is driven towards informing the local public about the problems they are currently experiencing. In contrast, global media sites tend to skew the issues since they cover for public attention. Overall, prioritizing the number of views a story gets opposed to the audience's well-being makes news sources less trustworthy, and international issues get misrepresented, leading to a misinformed public.

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As cities across Florida and the United States continue to grow, longstanding urban development practices threaten to worsen pollution, traffic, housing availability, and overall quality of life. As the consequences of climate change loom closer and become realized, city planning traditions in North America must welcome change that encourages environmental and financial sustainability. To facilitate sustainable development cities must improve walkability, density, transit, mixed-use, and housing variety in their design. The endless expansion and urban sprawl that many cities champion is unsustainable, but there has been change and progress. Cities like Tampa have begun embracing urban planning practices like in-fill development and redesigning streets to be safer and more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly. Challenges remain in personal vehicle prioritization and unbalanced development, as change is not citywide and concentrates in the older parts of the city. Rezoning to allow varied and previously restricted building types remains a challenge, and sprawl continues to be a strong driving force for new developments. Efficiently utilizing and developing land holds the key to sustainability as it prioritizes decreasing our human footprint on the environment and a better way to expend resources. City planners and legislators should strive to embrace beneficial urban development practices and adjacent policies for citizens today and for posterity.

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Patriotism, supported by government propaganda and social pressure played a role in garnering support for the Great War. This is important because it shows how governments mobilize the American population for large-scale conflicts. This can also help identify parallels or patterns in modern history. Societal dynamics shape public opinion and individual choices in times of crisis. Also informs ethical considerations of modern governance. It raises the questions about the balance between national interest and the rights of individuals.

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This presentation is an examination of the relationship between public perception and medical uses of semaglutide-based medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy, with an overview that discusses the impacts of high-profile usage and endorsement of weight-loss drugs. The commodification of these medications has resulted in nationwide shortages, increased non-insurance prices, and a negative perpetuation of prejudiced beauty standards. While there are weight requirements for being prescribed Wegovy, both Ozempic and Wegovy have been obtained off-label through doctors, decreasing the supply for both drugs. The negative attention brought to antidiabetic and anti-obesity medication by this commodification creates negative connotations for these medications.

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Settling Wind is a short fiction story about Eliza, a young woman living in a small town. The story follows her as she meets by happenstance an old friend, who had moved away. The story explores their relationships through Eliza's narration, the things they talk about, and the things they don't. It explores what it means to live in Small Town, America. 

It's about the moments where now two people are no longer separated by distance but by experience. It's about the people that leave those kinds of places and the people that don't, why they do it, and how that affects them.

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In Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf uses civilian anticipation of war, Septimus’ unwinnable battle against human nature, and Clarissa’s approval of his death to portray suicide as more admirable than living under a mask of normalcy. The insertion of death’s beauty and fun makes Septimus’ suicide into a victory rather than a tragedy. With resounding support from Clarissa, one might expect that she would follow in his footsteps, as Woolf expresses in her 1928 Introduction to Mrs. Dalloway, but the opposite is the case. Woolf illustrates Clarissa as a character that values the soul above all else, even life itself, but she chooses to return to her party, to wear the mask of normalcy that she had briefly dropped when she heard about Septimus, and to continue pretending that everything is normal despite her constant anticipation of pain and tragedy. She will continue to “decorate the dungeon with flowers and air-cushions; be as decent as we possibly can” (Woolf 56). Unlike Septimus, she finds the meaning in the mundane by performing small acts of decency. In so doing, she protects her soul from the world's forces of human cruelty and evil.

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Migration to the United States brings growth opportunities but also significant mental health challenges, particularly among Latinx immigrants. This research examines the psychological impact of migration by analyzing key stressors, including cultural adaptation, linguistic barriers, socio-political discrimination, economic uncertainty, and the trauma of displacement. Drawing on studies by Pinedo et al. and Sangalang et al., the findings highlight the duality of migration’s effects: while some immigrants demonstrate resilience and adaptability, others face heightened risks of anxiety, depression, and post-migration stress.

The study explores how systemic issues, such as anti-immigrant policies and societal hostility, amplify these mental health disparities. It also examines individual and community-level coping mechanisms that mitigate these effects, such as social networks, cultural identity preservation, and access to bilingual mental health resources. A key focus is the role of structural inequalities in shaping immigrant experiences, emphasizing the need for culturally competent mental health interventions.

By bridging scholarly analysis with real-world implications, this research advocates for systemic changes, including increased access to bilingual therapy, culturally tailored interventions, and policies that reduce discrimination. Ultimately, it underscores the importance of addressing the unique psychological needs of immigrant populations to foster resilience and well-being in multicultural communities.

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Join us for a relaxed and interactive session where students can network, share their experiences, and provide valuable feedback on the conference. This is also a great opportunity to express your interest in being nominated for a board position and take an active role in shaping future events. Don’t miss this chance to connect and make your voice heard!

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(Virtual Option Available)

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