Leading Through the Margins: The Experiences of Latina Superintendents in California

• In Event: Superintendent Leadership and Retention

Abstract

This paper examines how ten Latina superintendents in California lead for equity during a time of escalating political conflict. Grounded in theories of intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1991) and culturally responsive leadership (Khalifa et al., 2016), the study explores how participants’ lived experiences, cultural knowledge, and deep ties to community inform their values, sharpen their equity lens, and shape leadership strategies when facing challenges. Findings reveal these connections strengthen their ability to recognize and address inequity, while also exposing them to racialized, gendered, and ideological attacks. By learning from this underrepresented group’s embodied, relational, and emotionally grounded leadership, this research addresses gaps in scholarship and supports programmatic efforts to better support BIPOC educational leaders working toward more just and sustainable educational systems.

Author

• Charity Lourdes Castro, University of California - Los Angeles