Emily Chávez (she/her) is a second year student in the Master of Social Work program at UNC-Chapel Hill with a concentration in Community, Management, and Policy Practice. Her primary areas of interest are intimate partner violence, queer family studies, and child and family policy. She is in her second year as a research assistant with the HILS team. In addition to pursuing her MSW, she serves as the Vice Chair of the Durham County Board of Education. Previous to entering the field of social work, she enjoyed a career in education. A longtime advocate for equitable educational access, particularly for students of color, undocumented students, and LGBTQ+ students, Emily taught high school English and held various roles in which she had the opportunity to impact NC teachers and students. She is the co-editor, along with Dr. Kia Caldwell, of Engaging the African Diaspora in K-12 Education (Peter Lang Publishing, 2020). Emily holds a BA from Swarthmore College, an MAT from Duke University, and an MFA in Creative Writing from North Carolina State University. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, she has lived in Durham for over 19 years.