Ashley Ascencio is a graduate student at the University of Southern California pursuing a master’s degree in Curatorial Practices and the Public Sphere. Ashley holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Cultural Anthropology from California State University, Los Angeles as well as an M.V.A. in Visual Anthropology from the University of Southern California. Her prior research is in fandoms and fan culture and how participating in fan communities informs the development of identity. She has presented papers on this topic, as well as how it relates to anthropological theory, at the Southwestern Anthropological Association’s annual conferences as well as multiple conferences at CSULA. Ashley’s research in this program focuses on Filipinx Diasporic Art and how the liminal aspect of living in the diaspora is expressed. Her interest lies in the intersections of cultural practices, art, and identity formation. In the future, Ashley hopes to design exhibitions for cultural institutions and museums.
