From August 9-11, 2025, the Association for the Sociology of Religion (ASR) convened its 86th meeting in Chicago, Illinois at the Hyatt Centric Chicago Magnificent Mile. Undergraduate students, Arely Aguilar ‘27 and Kimberly Martinez ‘27 shared their experiences conducting research through the Chicago Congregations Project (CCP). Both students participated in the CCP as part of their summer placement through the Institute for Latino Studies’ Cross Cultural Leadership Program (CCLP).
The CCP, co-led by Kraig Beyerlein, Associate Professor of Sociology, ILS Faculty fellow, and Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at Notre Dame, investigates the relationship between congregations and their neighborhoods.
Arely Aguilar, a Political Science major, reflected on her summer experience as a research assistant with CCP:
A key lesson from this work was the importance of building trust through face-to-face outreach. One Pastor told me, “Anyone can put a university logo on a paper. I’m glad someone showed up in person.” Others were cautious, fearing that information might be misused or shared with immigration authorities.
To address this, I explained the research purpose clearly, emphasized confidentiality, and relied on cultural sensitivity. Speaking Spanish was crucial in connecting with Latinx congregations and easing concerns about ICE surveillance and raids that have heightened fear in immigrant neighborhoods. Fieldwork also challenged me to move beyond appearances. Some congregations looked worn down, yet hosted vibrant ministries. Following the principles of liberation theology, I learned not to judge by external conditions but by the compassion and resilience within each community.
Ultimately, I was amazed to learn that 35% of the congregations in Chicago are Black Protestant while 5-8% are Catholic. I personally conducted 101 visits, contributing to over 500 visits across the team. Alongside in-person visits, I researched maps, websites, and social media to verify active status and contacts.
At the conference, I presented on these experiences and challenges. A recurring theme among participants was the difficulty of building rapport with underserved communities and the need to approach research with patience, humility, and respect.
This was my first time presenting at a professional conference, and it gave me the opportunity to share the realities of fieldwork while reflecting on both the stress and the joy of engaging directly with communities. This project not only deepened my understanding of Chicago’s religious landscape but also showed me how careful, culturally sensitive fieldwork can strengthen sociological research and amplify the voices of immigrant and minority faith communities often overlooked in scholarship.
Sophomore Kimberly Martinez majoring in Psychology and Sociology presented at the panel “Report from the Field: Challenges and Solutions-Chicago Congregations Project.”
She shared:
“My goal in attending ASR was to discuss my year-long field work with CCP. I wanted to share my experience working with Spanish-speaking congregations in Chicago. Additionally, I wanted to show how our approach can be useful for others doing similar work in congregational or community-based studies. More significantly, I aimed to contribute to the conversation about immigrant and Spanish-speaking congregations while building connections that will support my growth as a researcher.
My presentation highlighted my work with Spanish-speaking congregations. I shared strategies used to build trust with their leaders and members such as researching them on social media, introducing myself in Spanish and most importantly being transparent about the purpose of the research and the duration of the survey. I also described the challenges I encountered, most notably navigating the gatekeeping process within faith communities, where getting a response meant waiting on approval from multiple levels of leadership. This meant long delays before hearing back.
I hope to offer valuable insight for future research in faith-driven spaces particularly for Spanish-speaking congregations that are often overlooked in citywide research, despite being an essential support system for immigrant families facing linguistic, or economic challenges.
This experience strengthened my ability to communicate research findings in an academic and professional setting. My participation in this project supports my academic and professional goals of pursuing a career in social work with a specialization in psychology and has deepened my understanding of how faith-based institutions can act as informal support systems or unintentionally create barriers. This work has enhanced my interests in how congregations interact with psychological health in immigrant and marginalized communities.