The Role of Interest Convergence in California's Education: Community Colleges, Latinas/os, and the State's Future

• In Event: 69.057 - Roundtable Session 32
  In Roundtable Session: 69.057-5 - Interests, Desires, and Identities: Understanding Educational Policy and Practices Through Ideologies of Race and Racism

Abstract

We heed Richard Delgado’s (2004) call for the theoretical application of interest convergence by examining California’s State Legislature and the future of Latina/o community college students in a counter-story format. The concept of interest convergence, a principle rooted in Critical Race Theory (CRT) is defined by Derrick Bell (1980) as the moment when the interests of whites and People of Color converge. With this theoretical lens in mind, we focus on the educational injustices and racist systemic practices Latina/o students experience by answering the following question: What role does interest convergence play in garnering support from the State of California in advancing the degree attainment and transfer outcomes of Latina/o community college students?

Authors

• Tanya J. Gaxiola Serrano, University of California - Los Angeles

• Daniel Gilbert Solorzano, University of California - Los Angeles