Carmen Gonzalez

I was born in Glendale, California and my parents are from Jalisco, Mexico. I received my B.A. in Print Journalism and Chicano Studies from the University of Southern California and worked for two Los Angeles-based magazines before entering graduate school. I am currently a doctoral student at the Annenberg School for Communication at USC.

My main research interests involve ethnic media and their role within communities in promoting civic engagement, health storytelling and political participation. Currently the focus of my research deals with immigration issues and Latino residents. I am also interested in new communication networks that are being used by Latinos in Los Angeles. In June 2006 I attended the International Communication Association Annual Conference in Dresden, Germany and presented a paper titled ”Are Spanish-language television shows connecting Latino residents in Los Angeles to their health storytelling networks?” as part of the panel “The Context of Everyday Life in New and Old Immigrant Communities.”

Currently I am working on a research study regarding the way in which Spanish-language media may be influencing Latino undocumented immigrants to become naturalized citizens amidst a hostile political environment.