Dr. Sophia Enriquez
Assistant Professor of music
Sophia Enríquez, PhD, is assistant professor of Music and Latino/a Studies in the Global South. Sophia is a community-engaged scholar whose work explores Latino musical life, migration, and regional culture across Appalachia and the U.S. South. Her research and teaching bring together ethnomusicology, folklore studies, Latino studies, southern studies, and public humanities. She has published work that examines how music shapes experiences of migration, belonging, memory, and regional identity.
Sophia is also deeply committed to community-centered cultural work. She is co-founder of Son de Carolina, a Durham-based collective dedicated to the study and practice of son jarocho, and co-director of the annual Fandango de Durham. At Duke, she enjoys creating collaborative and welcoming learning spaces that connect students with music, storytelling, local communities, and public-facing research.
Outside the classroom, Sophia loves trying new restaurants, experimenting with recipes, and finding excuses to start ambitious DIY projects. She enjoys practicing her jarana—a small guitar-like instrument central to son jarocho music—and spending quality time with her very friendly cat, Franklin. She has also performed with groups including the Good Time Girls and Lua Project, and continues to collaborate with musicians and cultural workers across Appalachia, the U.S. South, and Mexico.