Rethinking Community Participation in Cross-Institutional Collaboration

• In Event: 44.064 - Fostering Networks and Collectives in the Out-of-School Sector: Achieving Equity, Innovation, and Learning Ecosystems Through Large-Scale Collaborations

Abstract

Purposes
Calls for OST programs to build coalitions that achieve “collective impact” are common (Kania & Kramer, 2011). These efforts have almost become cliché – it takes a village to raise a child, after all. Too often in our work, however, we have observed collaborative approaches that privilege mostly White professional networks and ignore the participation of Latino/a families and youth. The purpose of this paper is to a) critique non-profit approaches to collaboration and b) articulate an alternative using theories of participatory democracy.

Perspectives
The poster draws on Whiteness Studies and Racial Theory to analyze the racialized spaces where discussions and decisions affecting Latino/a communities took place (Anderson, 2015; Barajas & Ronnkvist, 2007; Bonilla-Silva, 2013; Lipsitz, 1998). We propose an alternative model drawing on Critical Race Theory, Yosso’s (2005) Cultural Wealth Model, and theories of participatory democracy (Barber, 1984; Fung, 2007; Kirshner & Jefferson, 2015).

Methods and Data Sources
Data was collected during a ten-month period of ethnographic and archival research about the experiences of Latino/a families with educational institutions in a nearby city of roughly 27,000 people. Sources include: fieldnotes from public events/meetings; interviews with Latino/a parents, university researchers, and non-profit workers; organization documents; and historical analysis. Data was then coded and analyzed for discourses about Latino/a families and patterns of participation.

Results
1) The re-creation of “white space” in coalition building: We observed a pattern of segregation in meetings. One parent needing translation described being “put in the corner” during a public meeting. Being physically isolated and unable to hear the larger conversation created racialized space excluding full participation. The theme of “white space” also emerged in community conversations sponsored by the city. Although the goal was increasing inclusivity, outreach was limited. One attendee noted, “If communities of color are not at the table, we need to create a new table.” Other meetings were scheduled during the workday, designed for non-profit professionals.

2) Deficit narratives: We observed, in both non-profit and school personnel meetings, the narrative that Latino/a parents did not participate or that getting them to engage was difficult. These were accompanied by a broader “service” discourse that focused on family needs or vulnerabilities rather than strengths.

3) Paternalism: Closely related to deficit narratives was a paternalistic stance towards intended recipients of social and educational services. Organizations intending to advocate for families could, instead, prevent families from directly communicating with administrators in positions of power. In one example, parents attempted to address an episode their son had at school; the non-profit worker acted as intermediary and handled the situation rather than facilitating a direct meeting.

Significance
Evidence shows how deficit narratives about Latino/a parents and exclusive participation structures reinforced existing power relationships privileging whiteness in educational change efforts. As OST organizations develop coalitions it is important to a) challenge hidden assumptions about target populations associated with service-delivery paradigms (e.g., McKnight, 1995) and b) be intentional about inclusive meeting strategies that facilitate participation. Our poster outlines specific proposals for such strategies.

Authors

• Jennifer Elaine Pacheco, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Ben R. Kirshner, University of Colorado - Boulder