Makaela Brass

Research Interests: Race/Ethnicity, Crime, Victimization, Human Trafficking, Black Feminisms, Sociology of Education

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Education: 
MA: Sociology, 2025, SUNY University at Buffalo
BA: Sociology, 2023, Vanguard University of Southern California

Bio: 
Makaela Brass is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University at Buffalo. Her research focuses on the intersections of race, gender, social inequalities, and education, with a particular emphasis on victimization and exploitation. She is particularly interested in examining how these dynamics affect Black girls and women. Her work explores how cultural and social interactions contribute to the formation of social expectations and controlling images, which often leads to the victimization and exploitation of Black girls and women.

Recent Courses Taught:
SOC 387: Race and Racism

Publications:
Cadigan Michele, Brittany Martin, Veronica Horowitz, Makaela Brass, Tim Edgemon. 2025. "Compounding and complicating feelings of justice: LFOs and Legal Legitimacy in Georgia, Minnesota, and Washington State." Journal of Crime and Justice*, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/0735648X.2025.2541718

Selected Conference Presentations:
Brass, Makaela. 2024. "Misogynoir and Digital Violence: Understanding the Intersections of Race and Gender among Digital Platforms." Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association. Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
      
Ruthi Hanchett, and Makaela Brass. 2023. "Prevention Through Policy and Youth Empowerment." Plenary at the Annual Ensure Justice Conference. Costa Mesa, CA.

Brass, Makaela, Zara Escamilla, and Isaac Voss. 2022. "A Tale of Three Congregations: Building Resilience in Congregations in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods." Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Student Congress on Racial Reconciliation Conference. Costa Mesa, CA.

Email: makaelab@buffalo.edu