Alumna shares research on Latino diversity and politics at campus lecture

Tia Stokes-Brown ’97 goes over data from her research, entitled “The Increasing Significance of Race: Exploring the Development of Latino Racial Group Consciousness and the Link to Political Participation.”

Tia Stokes-Brown ’97 returned to campus this week to share her research on diversity within the American Latino population and the impact of Latino voters on political elections.

Brown, who majored in dance and political science, is now a political science professor at Bucknell University and a faculty fellow for the Office of the Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion. She is the author of the book, The Politics of Race in Latino Communities: Walking the Color Line, as well as several peer reviewed articles about the impact of race on politics. She has received multiple honors and awards for her research, including the Jewel Prestage Award for the best paper on race, gender, and political behavior from the Southwestern Political Science Association in 2011.

For her lecture at Randolph Thursday evening, Brown shared some of the research she has conducted for her paper, “The Increasing Significance of Race: Exploring the Development of Latino Racial Group Consciousness and the Link to Political Participation.” She was also the featured guest for a career lunch with Randolph students Friday.

Tia Stokes-Brown ’97 discussed politics and her research with individual Randolph students following her presentation Thursday.

After her presentation Thursday, students asked questions about the role of the Latino vote in the 2016 presidential election.

“If we really want to understand American politics, power dynamics, and why people are frustrated and angry, we need to think about ways in which race, identity, and gender are infused, and not just in our understandings of ourselves, but what’s infused in our institutions and the impacts of our institutions,” Brown said.

In addition to her presentations, Brown has enjoyed touring the campus, visiting her former professors, and reminiscing about her time at the College. She said the liberal arts education she received helped her shine in graduate school.

“I had a great experience here,” she said. “I really credit Randolph for helping me sort of cultivate this deep intellectual curiosity and a deep social curiosity, which I think has served me well professionally and personally.”