Intersectional Agency: Three Latina School Principals in Chicago Public Schools

• In Event: Gender, Identity, and Intersectionality In Educational Leadership

Abstract

This study examines how three novice Latina principals in Chicago Public Schools developed intersectional agency as they negotiated their professional identities over time. Using longitudinal interview data and a subject-centered sociocultural framework integrated with intersectional theory, the analysis shows how race, gender, and motherhood shaped their evolving leadership. Rather than entering the role with a fixed identity, each principal adapted to constraints like systemic racism, school closures, and gendered expectations. Through identity negotiation, they aligned their values with leadership practices rooted in care and social justice. The findings offer insight into how Latina leaders strategically shape their roles in response to institutional demands, expanding the understanding of agency in educational leadership and informing equity-driven principal development.

Author

• Nancy Vegas, Northwestern University