Juanita Sandoval

Migrant Shelter Pedagogy

Migrant Shelter Pedagogy examines learning practices and knowledge sharing that take place in 
migrant shelters or spaces that support migrants throughout Sonora, Mexico. Despite extensive 
literature on migration on the U.S/ Mexico border, there has been little attention paid to how 
migrant shelters can be viewed as pedagogical and transformative spaces of learning and activism. 

The questions this project seeks to answer include (1) How can migrant shelters be reframed and 
envisioned as sites of pedagogy, advocacy, agency, knowledge sharing and learning? (2) How does 
space, environment, and location impact spaces that aid migrants in Sonora? and (3) How can 
mapping, critical geography and critical cartography provide insight to the pedagogical understanding 
implications of migrant shelters?

This project connects to AI through mapping and translation technology and offers powerful ways
to analyze qualitative data, visualize findings, and enhance the pedagogical and advocacy efforts
of the shelters themselves. AI, specifically through mapping, can help analyze the relationship
between the shelter's location and various social, environmental, and political factors. Juanita will use
Drawboard AI features to help create, edit and analyze plain view maps created of the shelter
spaces. AI translation tools, such as Sonix AI, offer more than just simple word-for-word
conversion and will be useful in transcribing, translating and aggregating data from interviews
conducted with shelter staff and volunteers. They will be integrated into Juanita's qualitative data
analysis to answer her research questions related to her dissertation research.

Moving in line with the Confluencenter’s goals, Juanita will be able to create new
perspectives on border issues through the application of AI tools, such as the generation and
dissemination of new data about spaces that impact migrants at the border. This project is poised
to deliver significant academic, professional, and community impacts by reframing migrant
shelters as sites of deep learning through the use of AI tools for critical analysis and advocacy. On
a personal level, these AI tools will enable Juanita to gain proficiency in techniques for visualization
through mapping and transcription through the use of technology. After the maps are created
and edited using AI, Juanita would like to print them on large high-quality paper/cardstock. Juanita 
would then use the prints for comparative analysis and for display at various shelters and events. 
Ideally, Juanita would like the opportunity to showcase the maps with the Confluencenter.