A student studying cultural studies on the stairs leading up to Hospitality Hall.

Department of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies News

The Department of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies allows students to create degree programs from courses across disciplinary boundaries, including cultural studies, linguistic studies, Asian studies, Latin American studies, multi-disciplinary studies, and social science studies.

Current Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies News

collage of small square artworks
Arts and Culture |

Open to the public through Dec. 20, the collection was curated through a collaboration between the museum and UNLV's Asian and Asian American Studies program.

Norma Jean Almadovar, a sex worker rights activist, poses with her collection of documents.
Research |

The Norma Jean Almodovar Papers document decades of advocacy and expand UNLV’s collecting initiative on sexual entertainment and economies.

June campus horizon shot
Campus News |

The top headlines featuring UNLV’s staff and students.

A portrait of Saipin Chutima, the founder of a staple Las Vegas Thai food chain, Lotus of Siam.
Campus News |

UNLV students explore Asian American culture, one bite at a time, in Mark Padoongpatt's class.

Gina Anderson stands behind counter of Rebel Grounds
Campus News |

Rebel Grounds’ cafe operations manager brews the perfect blend of precision and creativity to keep campus energized throughout the day.

Several hands reach up toward a stethoscope.
Campus News |

Students examine the evolution of America’s healthcare system in the larger social, political, and economic context of the last 500 years.

Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies In The News

KSNV-TV: News 3

As Black History Month continues, Ruby Duncan’s legacy is being celebrated for a lifetime of activism that helped shape social programs still valued today and for her role in securing a library for Las Vegas’ Historic Westside.

KVVU-TV: Fox 5

The earliest settlers and their direct descendants became notable leaders throughout Las Vegas in the 20th century, helped build up the Historic Westside, and now make up the African American community across the Las Vegas Valley.

City Cast Las Vegas

Filipino Town is coming up on its one-year anniversary this spring. So today, host Sonja Cho Swanson sits down with two of the movers and shakers behind the project: Ron Sumbang, on the board of directors for Filipino Town, and Ava Cariño, a PhD student at UNLV studying Filipino Foodways and research assistant at Istorya. We learn how they rallied for the creation of a Filipino Town, why it matters to Las Vegas, and get their insider tips for where to find their favorite Filipino dishes.

KSNV-TV: News 3

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a longtime advocate for civil and equal rights, has died at 84. Jackson later shifted his activism from grassroots efforts to politics.

Las Vegas Review Journal

About four years ago, students in North Las Vegas told the mayor they sometimes skipped school because their hair wasn’t done. To boost their confidence, the city launched an initiative to provide K–12 students with high-quality products and resources for moisturizing, styling, and caring for textured hair. The Black Hair Care drive runs throughout February, which is Black History Month. 

City Cast Las Vegas

On Wednesday, the Clark County Commission approved a plan for Chinatown that's been years in the making: A 10-year glow-up that will include wider sidewalks, safety infrastructure, more greenery and shade, and (yes!) better parking. Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with Commissioner Justin Jones, one of the architects of this plan, and professor Mark Padoongpatt, Director of Asian and Asian-American studies at UNLV, about what's in store for Spring Mountain Road, why our Chinatown is unique, and how they're hoping to avoid gentrification.

Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies Experts

An expert on gender, sexuality, media, and popular culture.
An expert in U.S. women's history, political activism, oral history, and feminism.
An expert on Asian American history, race and racism, and Thai cuisine.
An expert in African American culture and the history of slavery in the U.S.
An expert in folklore and popular culture.
Javon Johnson is an expert in African American literature, black pop culture, black feminist theory, and black queer theory.  

Recent Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies Accomplishments

Tyler D. Parry (Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies Department) gave a guest lecture for the Nevada Federal Public Defender's Office on Feb. 24, 2026. Entitled "Examining the Fight for Police Accountability in 20th-Century Las Vegas," Parry analyzed a series of case studies emerging from his research project on the history of policing in…
Tyler D. Parry (Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies) provided historical context and commentary about the early Black pioneers in Las Vegas for a segment on KVVU-TV, Fox 5 News. The report aired on February 24, 2026.
Brittani Sterling (University Libraries), Brittany Fiedler (University Libraries), and Christopher Willoughby (Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies) co-organized UNLV's third annual "Douglass Day Transcribathon," which celebrates the birthday of the abolitionist Frederick Douglass and explores the important legacy he left upon the United…
Tyler D. Parry (Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies) gave a public lecture at the Whitney Library exploring the origins of Black History Month. He examined how it is celebrated in the United States and abroad, while providing additional insights into how the event was first celebrated in Las Vegas and how it grew over the decades.
Tyler D. Parry (Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies) discussed Rev. Jesse Jackson’s broader political legacy and his direct impact on Las Vegas labor movements for KSNV Channel 3 News.
Tyler D. Parry, associate professor and chair, (Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies) gave a lecture for the Desert Oasis Black Student Union's "Lyceum Series," a collection of events organized by high school students for Black History Month. He presented research on the formation of Las Vegas's Historic Westside neighborhood, the…