Kiani Oro

Kiani Oro is a Ph.D. student in social welfare and a Black, Race and Ethnic Studies (BRES) Fellow at the Graduate Center. Her research focuses on understanding the impact of a sense of belonging on positive youth development among vulnerable marginalized groups (such as juvenile justice-involved, those experiencing homelessness, and undocumented immigrants). Before starting her Ph.D., Oro worked for three years as an analyst for child welfare residential programs at Good Shepherd Services. She received her B.A. in psychology and B.S. in biological sciences from Florida International University in Miami, and her M.A. in human development and social intervention from NYU Steinhardt.