Student Spotlight – Syeda Rehman
Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Syeda Rehman!
Syeda is majoring in Sociology with a minor in Labor Studies. She is part of the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program. Syeda’s project is “From Growth to Displacement: Tracking the Impact of SoFi Stadium on Inglewood’s Residents and Small Businesses.”
How did you first get interested in your research project?
I first became interested in my research project through Urban Sociology and Comparative and Historical Methods courses at UCLA. These classes introduced me to process-oriented mechanisms of research, where we look at causal patterns in a case study, rather than a before and after outcome. My research focuses on the city of Inglewood and the development of SoFi Stadium as a case study, examining alliances between private investors, real estate companies and local political actors. It examines how these alliances impact long-term residents and small businesses through soft eviction including rent hikes, deteriorating properties that results in displacement, and whether the promised economic boost of local hires and affordable housing becomes a reality or remains unfulfilled.
What has been the most exciting aspect of your research so far?
The most exciting part of my research was the ethnographic work, where I conducted semi-structured interviews with shop owners and long-term residents, which showed me both perspectives. Some shop owners were in favor of buyout offers for their properties, while long-term tenants described facing displacement through rent hikes or eviction notices and according to them, the promises remained unfulfilled. This taught me the value of subjective experience and how there is no one-size-fits-all or one objective reality in human interaction.
What has surprised you about your research or the research process?
Doing my research, I felt like I was time traveling. Looking through historical documents, I traced Inglewood’s transformation from a white neighborhood to a neighborhood of color after white flight, followed by decades of disinvestment and then eventually becoming a prime case for reinvestment. What surprised me was realizing that this cycle of investment, divestment, and reinvestment is not unique to Inglewood, but reflects the history of many cities.
What is one piece of advice you have for other UCLA students thinking about doing research?
One piece of advice I would give is to not be afraid of trying, even if the result is not what you expect, and to never underestimate your potential. I would encourage students to ask questions and not shy away from asking for guidance when needed. These small steps can boost our intellectual growth as students and novice researchers. I would like to thank my faculty mentors, especially my undergraduate thesis mentor, Professor Berend, for guiding me every step of the way, my graduate student advisor, Greg Kyle, for his continued support, and Dr. Reizman for believing in my research.
What effect do you hope your research has in your field, at UCLA, in your community, or in the world?
I hope my research can show how structural inequalities are built into our systems and how the right policy changes can prevent displacement. If policies based on tenant protection laws, such as rent stabilization, had been implemented earlier, and stronger actions or laws were enforced for affordable housing, displacement rates would have been much lower. By taking small steps toward reform through community centered policies, cities can learn to grow without forcing people out. I hope my case study can help avoid repeating the same patterns in similar divested cities like Inglewood and around the world.