Hometown: San Antonio, Texas

Research Interests: Identity and culture, colorism and anti-blackness, LGBTQIA+ issues, colonialism and its effects, history, language and dialects, refugee and humanitarian crises,

Michael graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2019 with a bachelor’s in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures. In the summer of 2017 and for the 2018-2019 academic year, she studied abroad in Meknes, Morocco with the goal of deepening her understanding of Morocco post-colonialism, colorism in the Maghreb region, and women’s rights issues. She worked in Washington, D.C. with the Arabic Flagship Program, and also lived in Japan for two years through the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program. Michael is passionate about ensuring students feel safe and supported in study abroad, as well as about promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in all spaces. She is excited to dive further into her research interests whilst also working towards her goal of improving the study abroad experience for BIPOC, women, and the LGBTQIA+ community.