Maerie Grayce Morales is a fist-generation Filipina immigrant pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW) at Long Beach State, with a focus on Integrated Health. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, majoring in research psychology and minoring in art. Passionate about social justice and equity, Maerie Grayce is in her final year of the MSW program, actively contributing to several initiatives.

As the Social Media Chair for the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Social Work Student Network, she engages in community outreach and communication. She is also involved in multiple research projects, such as Defund, Abolish, or Reform: MSW Student Perceptions of Police Reform with Dr. Jason Plummer, and Filipino American Experiences in Social Services and Health Care with Dr. Suzie Weng. Her MSW thesis, How Filipinx Individuals Internalize Their Language as Part of Their Identity: A Research Student View of Oppression and Liberation, is a secondary data study focused on the impacts of language identity formation and perception as it impacts help-seeking behaviors among the Filipino/a/x community. In addition, she is the current DARE Lab assistant, where she conducts political and social work research, underscoring her dedication to both academic and applied research.

Looking ahead, Maerie Grayce plans to obtain her Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) credential and work in a hospital setting after graduation. She has a strong interest in expanding her expertise and intends to pursue a PhD in social welfare. Her long-term goal is to contribute to academic literature that addresses the unique experiences of immigrants, focusing on topics like migration, postcolonial studies, identity perception and formation, and equitable access to higher education.

Mika Toyama is a Bachelor of Social Work student with a sociology minor at Cal State Long Beach who has a passion for working towards social equity and uplifting others. She is currently part of the NASW Lobby Days conference as a student assistant, a CSULB McNair Scholar, and is involved in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion research through the Ours Connects and LAEP program. She is thrilled to join the Dare Research Lab to conduct political social work research and get mentored and work directly with Dr. Plummer during summer 2024 to sharpen her technical and soft skills as an aspiring researcher. Her professional goals are to get into a Master of Social Work program, pass the LCSW exam, and get involved in macro social work by getting into a PhD program to research underprivileged youth in low-income communities and higher education. In the future, she aspires to create a mentorship program for low-income, first-generation students in high school to support their mental health, career goals, and personal growth.