Lily Ann B. Villaraza is a graduate student in the Department of History specializing in Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. She holds a Bachelors in History and Asian American Studies from the University of California, Irvine and a Masters in Literacy and Language Arts from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.  Her research interests include the use of performance as vehicles for social change, education, literacy development and language evolution.  Her current projects include looking at the use of theater in Southeast Asia during the 1970's as vehicles for, and prducts of, social and political protest.

 

A native of southern california, Lily Ann has been involved in numerous student and community organizations throughout San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles since high school.  Although located in Dekalb, she continues to honor her responsibilities of being mentor and advisor to the Philippine American Youth Association (PAYO), a Filipino American community youth group in San Diego.  She is the incoming vice president for the NIU Southeast Asia club for 2006-2007 and is working on a directory of Filipino and Filipino American scholars & graduate students located in the United States for the Filipino Caucus of the Association for Asian American Studies.