En sus propias palabras: Understanding the Postsecondary Experiences of Formerly Incarcerated Latinas in California (Poster 4)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 3:45pm
  In Invited Poster Session: 2026 AERA Undergraduate Fellows Research Poster Fair

Abstract

While there is a growing body of literature focused on the nexus of postsecondary education and carceral systems, the experiences of formerly-incarcerated Latinas is less explored. For this study, I aim to understand the educational trajectories of formerly incarcerated Latinas from incarceration to their enrollment in postsecondary education. Using an intersectional approach and LatCrit lens, I seek to examine the interconnected racialized, gendered, and carceral logics that influence the experiences of these women accessing an educational system built on the subordination and oppression of their identities. Utilizing pláticas conducted with formerly incarcerated cis- and transgender Latinas, this study examines their educational experiences navigating the prison-to-university pipeline. This study draws on a subset of interviews from a larger study with twenty-two formerly incarcerated Latinas who met the following criteria: 1) were over the age of eighteen, 2) had served time in a women’s designated facility in California, 3) identified as either a cisgender or transgender woman or as a transgender man, and 4) indicated that they were enrolled in a postsecondary institution. In addition to the pláticas, the study draws on data from a demographic survey completed by all participants. Emerging findings indicate that for many of these women, their trajectories from incarceration to higher education were characterized by: 1) self-motivation from personal relationships and experiences spanning their diverse identities, and 2) self-navigation of complex educational programs and postsecondary institutions. Potential next steps include proposing recommendations to improve the postsecondary experiences of these women, as well as highlighting this research gap.

Author

• Claudia Alexa Castruita, University of California - Los Angeles