Daniel Morales

Assistant Professor of History at VCU and Co-Director of Latino Virginia

Daniel Morales is an assistant professor of history at Virginia Commonwealth University specializing in public history, Latinx history, immigration, and United States history. He grew up in Azusa, California, and his family is from Mexico. He was previously an assistant professor at James Madison University and a post-doctoral scholar at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

His research focuses on the social and economic history of migration between Latin America and the United States. His book, Between Here and There: Creating the Political Economy of Mexican Migration, 1900-1942 (Oxford, 2024) examines the construction of transnational migration across Mexico and the United States. When teaching issues of politics and nation, race, and ethnicity, he emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and seeking understanding of difficult sociopolitical issues in our time.

Daniel lives in Richmond, Virginia, with his wife, Heng, daughters Isa and Gabbu, and dog Lafayette.

Gabriela León-Pérez, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Sociology at VCU and Co-Director of Latino Virginia

Dr. Gabriela León-Pérez is an Associate Professor in Sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her research, teaching, and community-engaged work are motivated by a commitment to social justice and health equity, and they are grounded at the intersection of immigration, Latino studies, and health disparities. She is also the Director of the Alliance for Latino Youth Mental Health and Advocacy (ALMA).

Gaby was born and raised in Mexico where she earned a B.A. in International Studies from Universidad de Monterrey. Later, she completed an M.A. in Sociology from Texas A&M International University and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Vanderbilt University.