2025/2026 Editorial Team, Vol. 18
Editor-in-Chief
Julia Moniz-Lecce is a fifth-year student pursuing an Honours degree in Sociology with a minor in Latin American Studies. She is excited to return to Sojourners this year as Editor-in-Chief! Her own research centers on educational and workplace disparities, focusing specifically on the experiences of minority and immigrant families in Canada.
Inspired by her own educational journey and the significant increase in homeschooling following the COVID-19 pandemic, Julia’s award winning Honours thesis explores the unique motivations and challenges racialized families encounter in the homeschooling context. When she is not studying, you can find her playing tennis, walking her rescue dog, Sally, or working as one of the technical directors of the Bell Performing Arts Centre. She is very excited to play a role in sharing some of the extraordinary undergraduate research happening at UBC!
Web Coordinator/Associate Editor
Nicola Roscuata is in her fifth and final year as a double major in Sociology and English Literature. She is excited to return to Sojourners and continue supporting students through the academic publishing process! Her academic interests lie in the interplay between her two majors, particularly within intersections of gender, race, and sexuality, and how these interlocking identities shaped racialized experiences under Western colonialism. In particular, she is currently interested in how these social forces are reified in feminized modes of madness and its colonial links in 19th century literature.
In addition to her work at Sojourners, Nicola is also an editor for UBC’s Undergraduate English journal, The Garden Statuary. When she is not editing papers, you can find her baking, watching movies at the Rio, or scouring Marketplace for yet another knickknack.
Associate Editors
Sydney Bouwman is in her final year of a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Law & Society at UBC. Her academic interests include research on masculinity and the rise of the “manosphere,” particularly how these dynamics shape contemporary society and politics. She is also interested in how race and gender norms, along with socioeconomic factors, influence institutions such as schools, the workplace, and the criminal justice system.
Sydney is currently applying to law school and hopes to continue exploring the intersections of law, society, and inequality in her future studies. As a first-time editor for Sojourners, she is excited to collaborate with peers and support students through the publishing process. In her spare time, she enjoys reality TV, true-crime documentaries, hockey, and getting lost in a good novel. She also never turns down an opportunity to travel or spend quality time with friends.
James Chaun is a third year Philosophy major and Sociology minor. His particular interest is in questions regarding how existentialist perspectives of identity interact with social and political structures, and how psychological drives shape collective behavior. His research focus is mainly on identity theory, the psychology of polarization, mimetic desire, optimal distinctiveness, and the structural limits of social cooperation. In addition to his new position at Sojourners, James is an editor at the Journal of Philosophical Enquiries, UBC’s undergraduate philosophy journal. In his spare time he enjoys running, reading fiction and spending time with friends.
Aisha Gamar is a fourth-year Sociology major with a minor in Health and Society. Her academic interests focus on gender-transformative change within systems that sustain structural inequality. She examines how social institutions are structured in ways that marginalize women’s experiences, knowledge, and bodily autonomy. Aisha is excited to work alongside passionate peers and amplify student voices and work! Outside of her academics, Aisha enjoys collaging, outdoor sports, and connecting with others through music or writing.
Saba Majd (she/her) is a Psychology and Political Science double major in her second year. She is very excited to be working as an Associate Editor! Her academic interests lay at the intersection of her majors, with a special focus on group identities, social cognition, propaganda susceptibility, and, more recently, human-AI interaction. She’s also very passionate about all things journalism.
Helena McGee is a fourth year student majoring in Sociology, and is excited to be part of the Sojourners team as an associate editor! While on her exchange semester at the University of Edinburgh last spring, her passion for the field of cultural Sociology began! Her main interests include the study of social class and social practices, as seen through a cultural, academic, social, and economic lens. Outside of class, she can be found at the pottery studio, skiing, or practicing yoga.
Nargess Shokouhian is a third year Sociology major and Journalism and Social Change minor. She is passionate about research that explores the intersections of drugs, society, and policy, namely in Vancouver and British Columbia. She is also passionate about social movements and how they are presented in journalistic works and the media. Nargess is hoping to pursue a career in law following her undergraduate degree to further her understanding of the justice system and leverage that to support marginalized communities. She is also a community-centered individual who has worked to foster inclusive and accessible spaces for building connections. She is extremely grateful to have utilized this quality in her roles as VP Student Life for the AUS, VP Events for the UBC SAC, Festival Director for the City of North Vancouver, and at her job as a tennis coach. She looks forward to bringing all of these experiences to Sojourners as an Associate Editor. Her personal hobbies include playing tennis, skiing, spending time with her friends, and taking an insane amount of photos.
Gurnoor Kaur Suri (she/her/hers) is a final year undergraduate with a double major in Sociology and Psychology. She grew up as an activist and came to university with the aspirations of using research to strengthen her voice, create an impact, and ask questions of social value. Published in fields of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Family Therapy, Socialization, and Empowerment, Gurnoor is interested in how things work cross-culturally and how subjective meanings come to be. She joined Sojourners because of her belief that undergraduates deserve to have their ideas heard in scholarly spaces, which can often be intimidating at first. She is always happy to chat with any fellow peer interested in research.
Ilhan Yalcin is a fourth-year student majoring in sociology and psychology. He is excited to join the Sojourners team as an Associate Editor to help publish undergraduate research. Some of his research interests include social construction of emotions, moral panics as it relates to public health and critical disability studies. Outside of academics, İlhan likes to spend time with loved ones, listen to audiobooks and say hi to the birds around the neighbourhood.
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Our archive of our previous editors and team members:
2025/2026 Editorial Team
- Editor-in-Chief: Julia Moniz-Lecce
- Web Coordinator: Nicola Roscuata
- Associate Editors: Sydney Bouwman, James Chaun, Aisha Gamar, Saba Majd, Helena McGee, Nicola Roscuata, Nargess Shokouhian, Gurnoor Kaur Suri, Ilhan Yalcin
- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Elic Chan
2024/2025 Editorial Team
- Editors-in-Chief: Julia Dhillon and Rowen Francisco
- Associate Editors: Nott Feng, Calista Lu, Julia Moniz-Lecce, Alexander Murphy, Amy Norris, Nicola Roscuata, Tara Tseng-West, Dana Turdy
- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Elic Chan
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