A Counternarrative for Black and Latino Male Urban High School Students in Los Angeles County

• In Event: Roundtable Session 53
  In Roundtable Session: Counternarratives and Assets: Reframing Youth Outcomes Through Strength

Abstract

This study offers counternarratives, a methodological approach used by critical race theorists, for Black and Latino (N=200) male students attending urban public high schools in Los Angeles County. Employing CRT and semi-structured interviews, the authors address the following questions: (a) In what ways, if any, do participants’ home, school, and/or neighborhood contribute to their success? and (b) How do Black and Latino males define success? Findings reveal participants created their own counternarratives every day by redefining success beyond academics (i.e. being happy, raising a family), had high educational aspirations to pursue college, were guided by successful Black and Latino male role models or strong female family figures, and defied common stereotypes of Black and Latino males.

Authors

• Tyrone C. Howard, University of California - Los Angeles

• La Mont Terry, Occidental College

• Brian Woodward, University of California - Los Angeles

• Bianca Nayeli Haro, University of California - Los Angeles

• Kenjus Terrel Watson, University of California - Los Angeles

• Adrian H. Huerta, University of California - Los Angeles

• Oscar Navarro, University of California - Los Angeles