Susan Nakaoka

Susan Nakaoka is an Assistant Professor at the School of Social Work within the College of Health and Human Services at California State University, Long Beach. Her office is located in SSPA 140, and she can be reached at Susan.Nakaoka@csulb.edu (562-985-8180).

• Specializes in integrating Critical Race Theory into social work education
• Focuses on indigenous health disparities and racial equity frameworks
• Expertise in community partnerships and aging populations research

Her scholarly work examines racial microaggressions, decolonizing pedagogy, and social determinants of health in marginalized communities. Recent publications analyze homeless-targeted policy harms, depression in Japanese American elders, and territorial status impacts on indigenous health.

Research trends show consistent engagement with critical race pedagogy, indigenous community collaborations, and structural inequality analysis across urban policy, education, and health domains.

• Active in promoting Hispanic-serving institution reforms through racial equity lenses
• Advocates for university-community reciprocity in Papakolea and Guam