"I Didn't Understand...and I Didn't Go Back": Experiences of Latinx Families in Rural Schools

• In Event: Latinx Youth, Immigration, and Afro-Latinx

Abstract

Across the U.S., an increasing number of Latinx families continue to settle outside traditional immigrant enclaves. In Oregon, Latinx families are growing at a faster rate than the national average. Research has revealed a myriad of challenges faced by Latinx families across geographic regions; however, less is known about the experiences and needs of these families whose children attend schools in rural communities. Drawing on the frameworks of LatCrit and Community Cultural Wealth, this qualitative study reveals how initiatives implemented by a rural school district to support Latinx families (e.g., establishing dual language programs, restructuring a Welcome Center, and hiring bilingual/bicultural staff) were compromised by social (i.e., racism) and political (i.e., anti-immigration policy) barriers.

Authors

• Guadalupe Diaz, Sobrato Early Academic Language

• Tina Dodge Vera, Oregon State University

• Soria Elizabeth Colomer, Oregon State University

• Daniel Lopez-Cevallos, Oregon State University

• Maria Yazmin Brambila