Her Story
About Vanessa
Vanessa MadrigalLauchland serves as a Lecturer in the Chicano Studies Department at UC Davis and as a Postdoctoral Scholar at UC Berkeley. She has been working in education since 2013, with nearly 10 years at the university level. In her role, she builds curriculum focused on helping students understand the hidden curriculum and connections between the past and present, while centering student belonging and equitable access to education. Her research examines institutionalized racism within education, policing, and housing markets. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in History from California State University Sacramento and her PhD in U.S. History with a designated emphasis in African American Studies from UC Davis. Her approach to academia is shaped by her experiences as a first-generation scholar and her commitment to supporting students from diverse backgrounds through community building and institutional connections.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Vanessa
01What do you attribute your success to?
My community. My mentors like Lorena Oropesa who guided me through my PhD, my partner who supports me implicitly, and my best friends like Saida Islam from my master's program at Sac State who build me up without competition. We exchange research, share grants, and keep each other's names safe in rooms we're not in. It's the people I surround myself with that make my success possible.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Another mentor sat me down and told me that my children are only young once. At the end of the day, we might not remember that one book I felt I needed to read, but we will remember seeing the pebbles in the stream. Don't miss out on living because we're so busy just trying to do. I needed permission to enjoy my children and put my toes in the stream of life.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Build your community. Look for people who want to celebrate your joy and go celebrate joy with them. Know your boundaries but be generous with your time and receive people's generosity. That's how we build community and we're better because of that community as scholars, professionals, and humans. Don't just deal with toxic spaces; build what you want.
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