Chyler Hughes is a PhD student in the Department of Geography and Sustainability at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her research interests span Black geographies, urban geography, urban agriculture and sustainability, feminist geography, health geography, belonging, and placemaking.

Her master’s thesis examined the lived experiences, narratives, and voices of young Black women as they interact with and define belonging within urban green spaces in Davis and Sacramento, California. The study uncovered the everyday realities young Black women face when navigating these environments, focusing on their sense of belonging, connection to space, representation, and safety.

Hughes has also conducted research on specialty crops—including native plants and edible native plant recipes—demonstrating their positive impacts on food systems in Central Missouri.