Time, Talent, and Treasure: Developing the Next Generation of Social Justice Educators

• In Event: Roundtable Session 26
  In Roundtable Session: Social Justice and the Act of Teaching

Abstract

Many college access programs share similar practices in their attempts to increase postsecondary opportunities for historically underrepresented students. The Los Angeles Mentor Program (LAMP) goes beyond employing established best-practices by also fostering students’ sociopolitical development through its social justice foundation. This qualitative study examines the role LAMP had on influencing program participants’ decisions to pursue careers as social justice educators upon completing their degrees. Findings suggest that the program’s strong focus on social justice issues had an impact on building students’ sociopolitical development and propensity to pursue careers as social justice educators in multiple capacities.

Authors

• Michelle Renee Smith, University of California - Los Angeles

• Jonli Tunstall, University of California - Los Angeles

• Justyn Korey Patterson, University of California - Los Angeles

• Travis Dumas, University of California - Los Angeles