Katlin Marisol Sweeney-Romero

Katlin Marisol Sweeney-Romero is an Assistant Professor of Cinema and Digital Media at the University of California, Davis. She holds a PhD in English with a Film Studies specialization from The Ohio State University (2023), an M.A. from San Diego State University, and a B.A. from California State University San Marcos. Her research focuses on Latinx digital media representation, particularly how Latinas use platforms like TikTok and YouTube to create cultural content and engage in ethnoracial identity discourse. She is also actively involved in comics studies, examining queer Latina mental health narratives and pedagogical approaches to teaching Latinx comics.

• Education: PhD, The Ohio State University (2023); M.A., San Diego State University; B.A., California State University San Marcos
• Professional Roles: Co-Coordinator of Programming & Marketing for The Latinx Comic Arts Festival; Social Media/Web Head for Comics Studies Society’s Graduate Student Caucus; Editorial Board Member of Amatl Comix

Her work critiques the 'Hollywood Latin Look' trope in digital spaces and explores how beauty trends like 'Copy and Paste Latina Makeup' both empower and constrain Latina visibility. Recent publications include chapters in TikTok Cultures in the U.S. and Latinx TV in the 21st Century, alongside co-editing a special issue on Latinx nonfiction in Prose Studies.

Her upcoming projects analyze YouTube beauty gurus and queer Latina mental health in graphic novels like Blackbird. She frequently presents at academic conferences, including a 2025 talk on TikTok beauty trends at UC Davis’ WRRC library.