Having registered as a nonprofit organization in Arizona, we are building a community to reconstruct bridges in the Balkan Diaspora by sharing members' stories through interviews called Diaspora Diaries, providing educational resources, and raising funds to support efforts to preserve Balkan culture across the United States through mission-related products. By connecting with members through our online platform, we show that we are one, unified Balkan Diaspora. Implementing an innovative approach to forging a strong Balkan community, we collected 23 Diaspora Diaries from across individual ethnic Diasporas, generations, and backgrounds. By publishing interviews to our site (balkaninamerika.com), we cultivate a deeper appreciation for one another throughout the diasporic community. Diaspora Diaries have sparked enthusiasm in members across the U.S., as interviews have been incredibly positive with individuals sharing personal histories about sustaining their cultural identities. Through using oral histories as our primary mechanism of conflict resolution and community building, we better understand how individuals influence history and are influenced by history.

This report chronicles the journey of Julia Chiavaroli, Mira Camunez, Katherine Schiller, and Siddharth Somani through the Founder's Lab program, leading to the creation of INEZ, an organic, all-natural beauty brand specializing in hair care products. Motivated by a shared dedication to health and wellness, the founders embarked on a collaborative path, eventually converging on the concept of crafting a natural hair care solution. Rooted in comprehensive ingredient research and product development, INEZ emphasizes purity and nature, reflected in its earthy aesthetic and western influence. The branding strategy encompasses a distinct color palette, whimsical font, and the slogan "Rustic Roots." Targeting both women and men, the marketing strategy prioritizes online presence, especially on Instagram, complemented by plans for local event engagement. Pricing strategy is informed by market demand and unit economics considerations, with products priced at $19.99. Customer discovery efforts, including surveys, have shaped product development and pricing decisions, aligning INEZ with customer preferences for sustainability and organic ingredients. Through meticulous planning and execution, the founders have established INEZ as a promising venture at the intersection of health, beauty, and sustainability.

Female Indian American students pursuing higher education face an increased amount of pressure and prejudice as a result of their dual cultural identities. The convergence of their gender and ethnicity allows them to be vulnerable to the intersecting forces of racism, sexism, and the resulting intersectional biases. As a result, these students face higher degrees of animosity relative to their male or monocultural counterparts, and are more likely to deal with challenges associated with negative self perception, manifesting as symptoms of a myriad of mental health issues (Pieterse & Roberson, 2021). To further develop the discourse around dual cultural identities and how resulting experiences with prejudice and feelings of inadequacy affect an individual’s self perception, survey and interview data was collected from female, Indian American, undergraduate students at Barrett. Participants were surveyed to collect basic traits and identity markers, followed by specific inquiries about their relationships with dual cultural identities, code-switching experiences, and prejudice related to gender and culture, revealing a recurring pattern of shared negative self-perceptions and encounters with prejudice linked to bicultural identities. This data analysis identified five predominant themes that consistently emerged across all interviews, shedding light on the shared aspects of self-perception in the context of dual cultural identities. By highlighting shared struggles and their implications on self-perception, this research aims to foster community relationships and encourage students to re-evaluate how they define their self-perception in the context of their bicultural experiences.

Peach Pie is a young adult, epistolary historical fiction novel based in 1888 Texas surrounding the Collins family. After the tragedy of losing three of their family members, two of the three remaining Collins children move to a new town and begin a new life while also grappling with grief, loss and trauma. This is a dual first person point of view novel being told through diary entries and letters from the perspective of two of the Collins siblings: Ernest Collins is an eleven-year-old boy struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder while learning to be a normal child for the first time; Wilda Collins is a fifteen-year-old girl who is exploring her identity and place in society as she begins to enter adulthood. With these two perspectives, the reader is thrown into both a mental health and coming of age story centered around the experiences of everyday life in 19th century Texas, displaying the ups and downs of love, loss and young adult adventures in a historical setting.

This thesis presents the strategic business plan for Soleri Skye Studios, a dynamic digital marketing and graphic design company. Beginning with a comprehensive assessment of the digital marketing and graphic design landscapes, with a special focus on the vibrant Phoenix market, the plan delves into a targeted market opportunity analysis, identifying key customer segments, including small businesses, women-owned enterprises, and Spanish-speaking organizations. Leveraging a blend of secondary research and insightful personal interviews, the plan derives valuable insights into the market opportunity, competitor strategies, and client needs. Subsequently, a meticulously crafted implementation plan emerges, outlining tailored operational strategies, mission imperatives, and distinctive brand positioning for Soleri Skye Studios. Furthermore, the plan outlines the seven P’s of marketing, providing a robust framework guiding the company's strategic initiatives. Through this deliberate planning process, Soleri Skye Studios endeavors to carve a unique niche in the competitive arena, offering innovative, cost-effective design, marketing, and branding solutions finely attuned to client needs. Embracing a culture of creativity, collaboration, and client-centricity, Soleri Skye Studios is poised to deliver exceptional value and drive enduring success in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Data collected from surveys is an important factor in improving business decisions and gaining insight into consumers. Data from college students specifically is commonly used, thus it is important to understand how to reach this population. In order to better understand the survey-taking habits of college students, incentivization was explored through both surveys and interviews. Research participants chose between a guaranteed incentive (a $10 gift card) or a non-guaranteed incentive (being entered into a $100 gift card drawing), From the data, it was found that the majority of students prefer a guaranteed incentive, especially when it comes to finishing a survey.