Melanie Z. Plasencia received her Ph.D. from the Department of Comparative Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research examines how older immigrants in the U.S. negotiate the challenges of aging in the context of extreme poverty, deteriorating health, and diminishing government support. Recently, she completed a multi-year fellowship as the César Chávez Postdoctoral Fellow at Dartmouth College. In the Fall, she will be an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University, Newark. Her research can be read in the Journals Social Problems and The Gerontologist and has been supported by the Center for Race and Gender and the Ford Foundation. As a former Ronald E. Mcnair Scholar, Melanie enjoys giving back and mentoring students from diverse backgrounds in her areas of specialty and has taught over fourteen courses for Universities on the East and West Coasts. Her public scholarship can be read in the American Society on Aging’s journal, Generations Today, and Inside Higher Ed.