Joseph Ruanto-Ramirez

Candidate statement

My name is Joseph Allen (JoJo) Ruanto-Ramirez and I am a Katutubo American PhD student in Cultural Studies-American Studies from Claremont Graduate University. My project looks at the role of the United States Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes create an alternate relationship and differential inclusion with Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines with its other colonial subject, the Filipinos. As an Indigenous person from the Philippines (Aeta, Igorot, Lipi, & Moro), I look at complicating nationalist-based ethnic identity as someone who does not identify as Filipinx both in the Philippines and in diaspora. I am currently an Advisor at UCSD’s SPACES focusing on Ethnic Studies, Gender & Sexuality Studies, and other Humanities subjects for high school students and supporting current undergraduate students in the field. As Student Representative, my hope and vision is to establish a support structure within the organization that will enable members with publications to be able to share and present their ideas to audiences in other universities. I also will work towards creating more opportunities for increase undergraduate student participation in the organization and with a growing Ethnic Studies high school program, bring into conversation ways to have high school present in the program or a concentration in high school pedagogy.