Paper Summary
Share...

Direct link:

"Hacerle la Lucha": Hard Work as Funds of Knowledge of Undocumented, Mexican Ivy League Students

Sat, April 29, 10:35am to 12:05pm, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Floor: River Level, Room 6C

Abstract

Much of the research on undocumented students has focused on the risks and barriers that this population faces in their quest for higher education. The purpose of this presentation is discussing a study that applies funds of Knowledge in the examination of the college experience of three high-achieving undocumented students attending Ivy League schools. The Funds of Knowledge conceptual framework allows for an examination of how undocumented students develop their sense and commitment to the concept of “hacerle la lucha” in a pre-college context and how they apply it toward their success in college. The presentation discusses findings from a qualitative secondary analysis of data collected from semi-structured interviews with three Ivy League college students in the spring of 2014. Original interviews focused on the ways in which these students navigated through their college experience while being undocumented.

This secondary analysis focuses on the development of the concept of “Hacerle la lucha”—a Mexican phrase that all three students used to refer to their commitment to continue in their struggle or continue working hard despite obstacles—as funds of knowledge that drives their success. There are three main findings of this analysis. First, the sources of “hacerle la lucha” as funds of knowledge stems from parental modeling and expectations and students’ own involvement in their household’s success while growing up. Secondly, students perceive this concept as a motivation and use it as resistance against risks and obstacles that threaten their academic success. Lastly, students use this concept to transform funds of knowledge into concrete earnings that help them to navigate through financial challenges in college. This paper contributes to the literature on undocumented students by examining the experience of this population in a new context: highly-selective institutions. To date, only one other different study has focused on this context (see Anguiano & Nájera, 2015), as the majority of studies have been conducted in public four-year colleges or at community colleges. Additionally, this paper will also provide a new context for the application of funds of knowledge to gain better understanding of how students’ background and experiences contribute to their success in college.

Author