Beyond Subversion: Latinx Literacy Leaders and the Emergence of a Praxis of Refusal

• In Event: Empowered Praxis: Centering Teacher Agency, Identities, and Knowledges

Abstract

This longitudinal qualitative study examines how Latinx Literacy Leaders (LLLs), graduates of a justice-oriented credential program, sustain liberatory leadership amid escalating political constraints. Drawing on testimonio methodology, it traces how four leaders of color deepen ideological clarity and adopt protective, relational, and spiritually grounded practices, constituting a growing praxis of refusal. Participants reflect on shifting from expansive, visionary leadership to boundary-setting approaches rooted in cultural memory, identity, and collective well-being. Findings reveal how these leaders resist symbolic inclusion and enact counter-hegemonic practices that prioritize community safety and educational justice. This study contributes to equity leadership research by centering narrative as resistance and expanding what counts as knowledge in an era of intensified educational hostility.

Authors

• Laura Keisler, California State University - Fullerton

• Rosario M. Ordonez-Jasis, California State University - Fullerton

• Madeleine Mejia, California State University - Fullerton