Latin@ advocacy in the hyphen: faculty identity and commitment in a Hispanic‐serving institution

Abstract

This study examines our experiences as female junior scholars with multicultural backgrounds teaching at the same Hispanic‐serving institution. As education scholars with mixed‐heritage families, we identify with the commitment to serving Latinos and the number of mixed‐heritage people in the USA. The election of Barack Obama, whose racial background is both black and white, to the US presidency signifies the emergence of mixed‐heritage people as a demographic presence in this country. Our research suggests that more understanding is needed about the experiences of mixed‐heritage faculty in academia, as well as the ways in which faculty from any background may develop multiple affiliations with cultural communities and pursue professional agendas related to communities that they do not neatly fit into. Despite this variation in backgrounds and research agendas, we share our efforts in advancing Latin@ educational attainment.

Keywords:

• Latinas
• Hispanics
• faculty
• Hispanic‐serving institution

Notes

1. In this study, we define Latin@s as being members of Hispanic groups, including those of Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central American, and South American descent. We use the term Latin@s in order to include women (Latinas) and men (Latinos) equally, rather than privileging one or the other.

2. In this study, we use Hispanic and Latin@ interchangeably.

3. Pseudonyms have been used for blind review purposes.

4. The Research for the Educational Advancement of Latin@s (REAL) Collaborative was created in 2005 to establish a female support network of scholars committed to improving education for Latin@s, while navigating an academic environment that has traditionally been dominated by white males (Cuádraz and Pierce 1994). The goals of this collaborative include engaging in active interdisciplinary research (e.g., joint research presentations and publications) with a focus on Latin@ issues. The group members share related research agendas and a critical desire to transform the academy into a more just and equitable environment for all students and faculty.