Responding to Microaggressions: Experiences of Latinas From an Educational Leadership Doctoral Program

• In Event: Microaggressions in the Experiences of Chicanx/Latinx Students Throughout the Educational Pipeline

Abstract

The underrepresentation of Latinas in advanced degrees calls for immediate attention to the inequities existent within the Latina/o educational pipeline. Drawing from a Latina/o Critical Theory analysis, this qualitative study explores the experiences of 12 Latinas from an Educational Leadership Doctoral program focusing on the systemic and institutional oppression faced in higher education. In addition, a microaggressions analytical tool was employed to understand the types, context, effects and responses of and to microaggressions in the doctoral experience of the women. The interviews revealed that Latinas continue to face systemic and institutional oppression at the doctorate level. Despite the negative experiences, the women utilized various support systems and resiliency to successfully navigate their doctoral programs and transition into their professional roles.

Author

• Lorena Camargo Gonzalez, University of California - Los Angeles