Doctoral Student
Esperanza Padilla is a doctoral student in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. Her work investigates the social processes in which neurodivergent people come to define, disclose, or conceal their neurodivergence. Her work seeks to incorporate critical disability studies to understand how experiences navigating disabilities and diagnoses are constituted by axes of oppression, including racism, sexism, and ableism. Currently, her research focuses on how neurodivergent people are leveraging online spaces to collectively construct alternative narratives, scripts, and shared cultures about neurodivergence. Esperanza (AKA “Espi) received her bachelor's degree in sociology at UC Berkeley, and is a first-generation college graduate and granddaughter of migrant farmworkers from Mexico. In addition to research, Espi spends her time practicing digital art and digital storytelling, alongside her partner Zowie and their cat, Amélie. To contact her please email: [email protected]
Keywords:
Neurodiversity, Critical Disability Studies, Digital/Online Spaces, Disability Justice, Social Media and Popular Culture
First Name:
Esperanza
Last Name:
Padilla