January 2026 Edition

Each month, we spotlight faculty, staff, students, and alumni whose work, research, and advocacy are shaping public conversations and appearing in the media. From interviews and op-eds to feature stories, this series highlights the impact of our community in local, national, and international outlets.

This edition features highlights from January, including recent media appearances, published pieces, and more. Look out for a new roundup at the end of each month!

Tip: Click on the photo or title to read the full media mention.

What Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy looks like in today’s movements

Every generation is shaped by the urgency of “now” and polarization — which I don’t believe is any greater than it has been in previous generations. What is different is the resurgence of fascism and the ascendency of authoritarian forces over the state. Social media is a different matter and not one I want to address in this class. – Robin D.G. Kelley

UCLA Newsroom

Madeline Adamo

Oaxacan leaders on high alert due to ICE operations



(Translated from Spanish) “Although people from Oaxaca began arriving in Los Angeles in the 1970s, there was a greater influx in the 1990s, and they came to work in services, sewing, and restaurants. And we must not forget that raids have also been carried out in rural areas like Oxnard, Santa Maria, and Bakersfield, where there are high concentrations of people from Oaxaca.” – Gaspar Rivera-Salgado

La Opinión

Araceli Martínez Ortega

Mexicans in L.A. are worried about their country’s sovereignty

(Translated from Spanish) Gaspar Rivera-Salgado, project director at the UCLA Labor Center and manager of the Global Solidarity program, mentioned that the ‘current’ president [Donald Trump] is willing to use limited force to combat drug cartels.

La Opinión

Jorge Luis Macías

El Super workers demand immigration enforcement protocols to protect them and shoppers



Victor Narro, an expert on workplace rights for immigrant workers and a lecturer at UCLA Law School, said more and more unions have been adding the type of language El Super workers want to their contracts in recent years. “Especially unions that have a large immigrant workforce as members,” he said.

LAist

Libby Rainey 

USAC supports bill barring hiring discrimination based on documentation status



Jeffry Umaña Muñoz, a UCLA alumnus and then-member of Opportunity for All, also sued the school in October 2024, alleging that the UC preventing undocumented students from holding on-campus jobs was unlawful and discriminatory. The court ruled in Umaña Muñoz’s favor Aug. 5.



“Personally, a lot of us (USAC officers) come from mixed-status households and we’re doing our best,” President Diego Bollo said. “I see a lot of the issues that undocumented students are facing. It’s reflective in our community.”

Daily Bruin

Natalia Mochernak

Have a media mention to share? Send it to Marcos Ruiz-Rojas at marcosruiz1999@ucla.edu.

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