HTI Alumni

Field(s) of Study: Cultural and Historical Studies of Religions

Crystal’s work has been largely focused on the history of Muslim-Christian relations. Her dissertation work will continue exploring the history of Muslim-Christian relations, specifically in Latin America as well as current expressions of Christian Zionism. Crystal is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and has served on the board of the Parliament of the World’s Religions and as part of the immigration collaborative of the United Church of Christ. Her academic research is informed by her commitment to interfaith relationships, the rights of immigrants, and the Latine community. Crystal was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. Her mother, grandmother, and aunts and uncles immigrated to the United States from Mexico, and it is their stories along with being raised on the border that have shaped her spiritual and personal identity as a scholar and minister.