MSU Philosophy and Theatre double-major, Ashley Romo, will be presenting her independent study work, “A Philosophical Study of the Zoot Suit in Chicano Culture”, at the University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF). Ashley’s work draws on philosophical approaches to social ontology to examine how clothing creates and attaches meaning to identity. She explores the Zoot Suit and its significance within Chicano communities in the United States during the 1940s in Los Angeles, and specifically how the Zoot Suit functioned not merely as a style of dress but as a socially charged symbol associated with youth culture, resistance, and identity, particularly in the context of the Zoot Suit Riots. She also combines her philosophical and theatrical interests by examining the play Zoot Suit, demonstrating how theater stages and reinforces the ways that clothing attaches meaning to identity. The event is Saturday April 17 at the Breslin Center. Ashley will be presenting from 9:00-10:30am.