Terry Kincer is a first-year PhD student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His work lies at the intersection of rhetorical criticism and migration studies, focusing on two key research questions. First, what constitutes sanctuary, and how have migrant communities established sanctuary movements beyond the current legislative framework? Second, how have migrants and their allies used folk art and ritual practices—such as muralism, public art, and altar-making—to challenge xenophobic sentiment in the United States?

Prior to attending the University of Illinois, Terry received his Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts from the University of North Texas and his Master of Arts in Communication Arts from the University of the Incarnate Word. During this time, his work focused on state media depictions of contemporary migration issues, ultimately culminating in a thesis entitled Spectacles of Security: Deconstructing Visual Narratives of Operation Lone Star.