Kayla is a developmental psychology doctoral student at the University of Oregon. She graduated summa cum laude from Furman University with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and English. She broadly aims to explore how oppressive cultural ideologies and sociopolitical systems intersect to shape development, with a focus on LGBTQ+ populations. She is interested in how socialization at both micro and macro levels influences identity development, reasoning about social disparities, and the emergence of critical consciousness. She values community-based methods such as Youth Participatory Action Research, partnering with young people to co-create knowledge and develop strategies for more empowering, equitable, and inclusive environments.