Iteoluwakiishi (Rebecca) Arigbabu is originally from Nigeria but relocated to Texas with her family at age 15. Her preferred pronouns are she/her/hers. She recently completed her master’s from the University of Chicago, where her thesis explored how awareness of generalized violence against Black people in the US influences the ethno-racial identities of African immigrants. Before that, she obtained her B.Sc. in Sociology at Texas A&M University in 2020 and her associate degree from Navarro College.
Broadly speaking, her research includes examining the social and economic trajectories and integration patterns of African immigrants now living in the United States, and how their presence could reshape Black America in the coming years, paying close attention to causes of disparities, inequalities, and social stratification. Additionally, her research will evaluate existing incorporation frameworks’ explanation of African immigrants’ identity(ies) negotiation and racialization process as this has influenced scholarly explorations of their integration patterns in the United States.