About
Franshelly M. Martinez-Ortiz (she/her) is a Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Michigan. Her research examines the intersections of race, political psychology, and public policy, with a particular focus on how historical and contemporary state violence shape political attitudes and influences democratic engagement among Black and Latino communities. She is also a Research Fellow at the Center for Racial Justice at the Ford School of Public Policy and a Research Affiliate at the Center for Political Studies. Her research has been supported by grants from the APSA Centennial Center and ISR Next Generation 2025 Initiative. She has also been recognized as a Joan B. Kessler Scholar at the University of Michigan. Her scholarship has been featured in University of Michigan News and NPR.
Franshelly’s research aims to inform policy and public discourse by shedding light on how systemic racism and state violence influence political behavior in marginalized communities. After obtaining her PhD, Martínez-Ortiz aims to pursue a career in academia and serve as a mentor for other first-generation scholars.
