Dr. Abel Valenzuela

Biography

Abel Valenzuela is a Professor in the Department of Labor Studies and the Department of Urban Planning at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs. He has been a member of UCLA’s faculty since 1994 and has held various administrative leadership positions, including chairing the Department of Chicana/o Central American Studies and directing the Center for the Study of Urban Poverty. Valenzuela served as a special advisor to the chancellor on immigration policy and as the director of UCLA’s Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE). During his tenure, he oversaw multiple units including Labor Studies, the Labor Center, and the Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program. His research interests encompass precarious labor markets, immigrant workers in Los Angeles, and the topic of day labor, contributing extensively to public policy discussions on immigrant low-wage workers. Valenzuela has published numerous articles and technical reports on these subjects, shaping both academic and public discourse related to urban poverty and inequality.

Research Interests