"I Just Wanna Do My Part in Society": Fostering Critical Civic Identity With Latinx Youth

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Civic and Equity Engagement Among Diverse Adolescents and Young Adults (Table 10)

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative research is to examine the role that an 8th-grade civics education played in the critical civic identity development and civic participation of Latino/a/x urban youth. As the former teacher of the participants involved in this research, I aimed to understand the diverse interpretations participants experienced through critical reflection on their civic education within their social and cultural contexts. The following question guided the study: In what ways did critical pedagogies centered around social justice and equity impact their civic identities and community engagement? Findings suggest the importance of incorporating five crucial components necessary for promoting future civic engagement with Latino/a/x youth: Belonging, Identity, Power, Values, and Connection to Community.

Author

• Eric Alvarez, Arizona State University