Rafael Ramirez Solórzano

Rafael "Rafa" Ramírez Solórzano serves as Assistant Professor at the University of Florida's Center for Latin American Studies, specializing in Latinx social movements, racial geographies, and queer of color critique with regional focus on the U.S. Southwest/South, Mexico, and Central America. His community-engaged scholarship bridges academic research and migrant rights advocacy.

His academic credentials include:

• Bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley
• Ph.D. in Chicana/o and Central American Studies with gender studies emphasis from UCLA

Professor Solórzano's research examines how gender, sexuality, and racialization intersect within Latinx freedom movements, utilizing qualitative and archival methodologies. His forthcoming book "Migrant Refusal; The Making of the Trail of Dreams" analyzes the 2010 Miami-to-Washington D.C. walk by undocumented youth activists and its transformative impact on migrant rights discourse through localized historical frameworks.

His scholarly contributions have been recognized through competitive fellowships:

• Career Enhancement Fellowship
• Duke University Summer Institute on Tenure and Professional Advancement Fellowship

With over 25 years of community organizing experience since his UC Berkeley graduation, he has secured research funding from the Mellon Foundation, California State University system, and UCLA’s Chicano Studies Research Center. He continues active consultation with migrant rights organizations and educational justice campaigns while teaching courses on Chicanx/Latinx social movements, political theory, and women of color feminism.