Testimonios of Indigenous Oaxacan Teacher Candidates: Huipil and Huaraches as Acts of Resistance

• In Event: Land, Language, and Intergenerational Learning: Indigenous Pedagogies of Place, Kinship, and Continuance Across Generations and Geographies

Abstract

This study explores the testimonios of three Oaxacan teacher candidates in a Central California teacher preparation program. With over 350,000 Indigenous Oaxacans in the region (Escala-Rabadan & Rivera-Salgado, 2018), communities such as Mixtecs, Zapotecs, Triqui, and Purépechas bring rich cultural and linguistic assets. Using Gloria Anzaldúa’s concept of Nepantla and a Critical Latinx Indigeneity framework, the study highlights how these candidates navigate intersecting identities shaped by race, language, gender, and immigration. Their testimonios reveal experiences of marginalization and resilience, informing the development of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies (CSP). This research urges Hispanic-Serving Institutions and teacher preparation programs to recognize the diversity within Latinx communities and the importance of Indigenous perspectives in education.

Author

• Erika D. Garcia, University of San Diego