About the Liberal Arts Action Lab
The Liberal Arts Action Lab is a collaborative research program that brings together students, faculty, and community partners to work on pressing social issues in the Hartford, Connecticut region. The Liberal Arts Action Lab is designed to be reciprocal, with community partners benefiting from the research conducted by students and faculty, while students and faculty gain valuable experience in working with community partners and conducting research that has a real-world impact for stakeholders. This program is also designed to promote collaboration and communication between Trinity College and Capital Community College, as well as between the colleges and the broader Hartford community. For more information on the Liberal Arts Action Lab, visit here.
Meet Our Project Team!
Alicia Anchondo
Alicia is a third-year student at Trinity College from Chicago. She’s currently majoring in Psychology with a minor in Community Action. In her free time she enjoys yoga and dance. She’s also involved in a Latin cultural organization on campus.
Charlie Taing
Charlie is a second-year student attending Trinity College. Born and raised near downtown Chicago, he has spent most of his life attending various public schools across the city. He joined the Liberal Arts Action Lab to learn more about chronic absenteeism in Hartford public schools due to his interest and personal experience with the topic. In his spare time, Charlie likes to create drawings and is the incumbent president of Trinity’s student led art club- Nest Artists.
Deion Kelly
Deion is a senior at Trinity College, and his major is Sociology with a Community Action minor. He’s an Atlanta native who’s always looking for new ways to connect with young people as well as community initiatives everywhere they go. Besides academics, Deion is continuing to be active in other roles at Trinity College: Trinity College Gospel Choir President, Men of Color Alliance’s Co-President, Trinity’s Brotherhood Initiative Co-Coordinator
Senior P.R.I.D.E. Leader (Promoting Respect Inclusive Diversity in Education), Coop Co-Manager, and Event Support Unit Manager. As a black man, he continues to make strides for community engagement and educational connectivity.
Denasia Davis
Denasia is a sophomore at Capital Community College and her major is Computer and Information Systems. She’s a Hartford native who always wanted to be a part of a positive impact within her community. When she’s not coding or working on managing information systems, she’s being a mother to her two small children. She’s passionate about advocating for urban youth and creating safe spaces for them to be authentic and free.
Demi Janis
Demi is a third-year student at Trinity College who is from Connecticut. She is an Educational Studies and Sociology Major. Outside of the classroom, she plays field hockey, coaches, and tutors at Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy. Demi has a passion for education and community engagement hence why she chose the high school absenteeism action lab project.
Satya Mamdani
Satya is a freshman at Trinity College and is from Saint Paul, Minnesota. She is planning to major in Public Policy and Law with a concentration in Educational Policy. Outside the classroom Satya participates in Quest, a hiking program, and is involved in Amnesty International.
Sophia Jones
Sophia is a third-year student at Trinity College from Northern California. She studies both Educational Studies and Hispanic Studies. Outside the classroom, she runs on Trinity’s Track & Field team and is on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In the fall of 2022, she studied abroad in Spain and now serves as a Study Abroad Global Ambassador. She is passionate about learning about the ways in which schools are impacted by the evolving sociopolitical climate in Hartford and beyond.
Dr. Laura Minor
Laura is Interim Director of the Liberal Arts Action Lab, which is located in downtown Hartford at 10 Constitution Plaza. She directs the administrative aspects of the program, as well as teach some of the project courses. Laura is excited to learn about Hartford and do what she can to maintain and build upon the relationships Trinity has with its community organizations and surrounding neighborhoods, as well as with Capital Community College.