Hope and Access to Educational Experiences: Perspective of Diverse Newcomer Families in New York City

• In Event: International Migration Section Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): 11. Immigrants and education

Abstract

This study examines how newly arrived immigrant parents in New York City navigate their children's education and school experience, engaging with theories around hope and aspirations. Through a qualitative study based on 32 interviews, we seek to understand the perspective of newly arrived families, primarily asylum-seekers from Latin America and African countries, and their experiences and aspirations around education. We explore the following research questions: How do newly arrived parents navigate the educational systems and access resources for their children? How do they perceive the value of education for their children? How does their experience vary according to their background and immigration trajectory? Findings suggest schools function as stabilizing contexts of hope and meaning-making where parents convert uncertainty into actionable planning. Our study seeks to illuminate the motivations for parents migrating and the link to educational aspirations for their children, contributing to literature in sociology of education and migration.

Authors

• S. Garnett Russell, Columbia University

• Camille Fabo, Columbia University

• Leonardo Arevalo Rojas, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Javiera Zamora Iturra, Teachers College, Columbia University