Abril Ríos-Rivera
Abril (she/her/ella) is a doctoral researcher and consultant exploring the intersections of migration, gender, sexuality, and agency. Her research centres on the agentic capacities of migrants within existing power structures, moving beyond vulnerability-focused narratives. Her doctoral research investigates how migration experiences transform and expand the agency of women and gender-diverse migrants in Mexico, focusing on how the interplay between border regimes and personal life-journeys shape migrants’ agency. Methodologically, she integrates participatory arts-based approaches within a mixed-methods framework, combining photovoice, surveys, photo-elicited group discussions, and individual life-story interviews. Abril regularly convenes interactive workshops on participatory arts-based research methods for researchers, students and practitioners.
In addition to her research, Abril consults on forced displacement and refugee wellbeing in Kenya. Her background in psychology, with a specialization in social and cultural psychology, gender studies, and sexuality, informs her work. She has extensive experience collaborating with civil society and intergovernmental organizations on migration, asylum, wellbeing, and entrepreneurship in Mexico and East Africa.