Former Research Assistant Maya Cruz (she/her) accepted a promotion to Researcher in July 2024. Maya graduated from high school in Tacoma in 2021 and from UW Seattle in June 2023 with a degree in Political Science and a Labor Studies minor. She was a member of the 2022 Union Summer cohort, working with the Washington Federation of State Employees (AFSCME Council 28). Since joining the research team in June 2023, Maya has worked on several projects, including a brief connecting reproductive justice to racial and economic justice, providing research support for collective bargaining, as well as helping lead the State of the UW Student Worker - the Center’s ambitious study regarding student workers’ perspectives and experiences. In addition to providing research support for multiple projects, she assists onboard and lead interns selected for the new MLK Labor President’s Organizing Initiative (POI)/Harry Bridges Center Research Assistant Internship.