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Born and raised in The Bronx, Dr. Shirley P. Leyro is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Borough of Manhattan Community College – CUNY and began her role as Administrative Director of The Bronx Health Link, Inc. in 2023.
A critical criminologist and activist, her research focuses on immigration, deportation, and the mental health impact of vulnerability to deportation. Dr. Leyro is also a Mental Health First Aid Instructor, collaborating with the NYC Department of Health to provide certification trainings across the city.
Hi, I'm Dr. Shirley P. Leyro, and I teach Urban Studies at BMCC – CUNY and I am the Administrative Director of The Bronx Health Link, Inc
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Criminal Justice Professor Shirley Leyro Receives Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant for Latina/O/X Researchers Support Network
Administrative Director
The Bronx Health Link, Inc. (TBHL)
Dr. Shirley Leyro, a Bronx native and critical criminologist, earned her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from CUNY’s Graduate Center and an M.A. in Criminal Justice from John Jay College. Dr. Leyro’s research focuses on how the fear of deportation impacts immigrant integration, causing emotional and psychological distress and creating barriers to acceptance in the U.S., termed “legal violence.”
She has received honors such as the American Society of Criminology Teaching Award and a Faculty Fellowship at the Center for Place, Culture, and Politics. Dr. Leyro has presented her work at numerous institutions and holds a Diploma in International Critical Criminology.
PRESS & MEDIA
If you're seeking a distinguished scholar, mentor, and speaker dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations, connect with Dr. Leyro to elevate your team's proficiency and insight.
EDUCATOR. SCHOLAR. AND RESEARCHER.
Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) Criminal Justice Professor Shirley Leyro has secured $284,940 in funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to create a Latina/O/X Researchers Support Network (LRSN).
The one-year grant will fund research and preliminary planning to form a nationwide professional and emotional capacity-building support space for Latina/o/x researchers across disciplines that will facilitate a commitment to research and to alternative methodologies in the pursuit of health equity for the U.S. Latina/o/x population.
ON THE BLOG
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Anti-Immigrant Sentiment: History and Need for Reform
In a conversation with Dr. Shirley Leyro, associate professor of criminal justice at Borough of Manhattan Community College, host Sheryl McCarthy explores anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S. Professor Leyro notes that while it seems to be rising, such feelings have always existed and are often exploited by politicians. She outlines the historical discrimination faced by various immigrant groups and discusses changes in immigration policy, particularly during the Trump administration, which increased enforcement and deportations.
Shirley P. Leyro, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator; Urban Studies (A.A.)
Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC)
Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherri Papini (Lifetime Movie)
After Sherri Papini went for a run and didn’t come home in 2016, the heat was on to find the mother of two. The Northern California missing-person case quickly became a national story–true crime aficionados couldn’t talk about anything but the “supermom”, especially after she returned and her story about being abducted wasn’t adding up.