Community Cultural Wealth: Lessons Learned in Implementing a Middle School Program with Latina/Latino Students

1. Community Cultural Wealth: Lessons Learned in Implementing a Middle School Program with Latina/Latino Students Luna, N. & Vazquez, C. (May 2010). Community Cultural Wealth: Lessons Learned in Implementing a Middle School Program with Latina/Latino Students. Workshop presented at CYFAR 2010 Conference, San Francisco, CA.

2. Anáhuac School and Community Engagement Program Community Cultural Wealth: Lessons Learned in Implementing a Middle School Program with Latina/Latino Students Nora Luna, Assistant Professor, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension lunan@unce.unr.edu, 702.940.5420 Cynthia Vazquez, Community-based Instructor, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension vazquezc@unce.unr.edu, 702.948-5944

3. Objective of Workshop: • Review structural barriers of Latina/o students to academic success • Describe the model and background of Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) • Apply the CCW to individual settings and situations • Describe lessons learned in developing/ implementing a program based on CCW

4. Latinas/Latinos in Nevada Nevada Latina/o population is 25% 53% are native-born and 47% are foreign-born. 78% of the Latina/o population is of Mexican-origin. In ten years (between 1990 and 2000), there was a 264% increase

5. Clark County School District (CCSD) – Las Vegas, Nevada In 1980, the Latina/o student population in the Clark County School District (CCSD) was 5.3 percent. Today, it is 39% of the total population, which just this year outnumbered white students. CCSD teachers have little to no training or culturally relevant pedagogical approaches for working with the Latina/o students. Anti-immigrant sentiment is at its height in the schools.

6. Nevada in terms of education Nevada is ranked 47th in the nation in terms of quality of life (based on schools, health, crime, poverty and cost of living) Nevada is ranked 47th in per pupil spending on K-12 education Nevada is ranked 45th for people with a bachelor’s degree In 2008, there was a $173.6 million budget cut from K-12 education. In addition, higher education was cut by $83.8 million dollars

7. Chicana/o Educational Pipeline 100 Elementary school students 56 Drop out/ push out of school 44 Graduate from high school 17 Go to a Community College 26 Enroll in college 9 Go to a 4-year college 1 Transfers to a 4-year college 7 Graduate with a BA Degree 2 Graduate with a professional or graduate degree < 1 Graduates with a doctoral degree Yosso, T. (2006). Critical Race Counterstories along the Chicana/Chicano Educational Pipeline. Routledge Press.

8. Structural Barriers and Sociopolitical Histories and Contexts • Not enough preschool • Unequal funding for schools • Poorly maintained facilities “ just the environment that you are in, it was very hostile,there were broken windows that weren’t fixed, there were no chairs and overcrowded.” • Lack of technology in schools • Overcrowded schools “They have to actually put just single chairs without desks because we were running out of room. • Under-trained and under-credentialed teachers (Gandara & Contreras, 2009. The Latino Education Crisis: The Consequences of Failed School Policies )

9. Structural Barriers and Sociopolitical Histories and Contexts • Less access to academic guidance counselors • Minimal access to academically rigorous enrichment programs and courses • “They did work for kindergartners.” • “It makes you think, ‘are you serious?’ You think I’m that dumb?” • Lack of adequate bilingual and multicultural education • “She (the teacher) told me that she didn’t speak Spanish. But once I heard her speaking Spanish, and told her so, and she said yes, but not to you, but, I told her that I didn’t know how to do my homework. She said I must do it anyway.” • “We only have Cinco de Mayo even though it’s Hispanic Month! We are feeling left out, they say it’s Hispanic month but don’t do anything, don’t teach us anything about our history.” (Gandara & Contreras, 2009. The Latino Education Crisis: The Consequences of Failed School Policies )

10. Structural Barriers and Sociopolitical Histories and Contexts • “Tracking” Latina/o students into remedial or vocational courses • Stereotyping and self-fulfilling prophecies • “They underestimate people!” • “Especially being Hispanic, you are considered low of low in schools.” • “Some teachers already have referrals filled out and wait for you to do something so they can send you away.” • Inappropriate high-stakes assessments • High mobility among school leaders • Safety concerns • Racial segregation (Gandara & Contreras, 2009. The Latino Education Crisis: The Consequences of Failed School Policies )

11. Ethnic Identity and Academic Achievement Instilling a sense of identity and history Many researchers are examining the ways that Latino students who, despite economic, political and structural challenges, are high academic achievers and draw from their culture and family resources to be successful Student's strong sense of ethnic, racial and cultural understandings can be viewed as a resource and asset that can help students achieve their academic goals. Having a strong racial-ethnic identity has been tied to Latina/Latino students' level of motivation and resiliency when it comes to their academic goals Latina/o students' connectedness to their racial-ethnic identity, awareness of racism, and embedded achievement or a feeling that their racial-ethnic identity is congruent with high academic goals predicts school achievement. Delago, B.D. (2002). Critical Race Theory, Latino Critical Theory, and critical raced-gendered epistemologies: Recognizing students of color as holders and creators of knowledge. Qualitative Inquiry, 8(2), 105-126. Gonzalez, N., Moll, L. C., & Amanti, C. (2005). Funds of Knowledge: Theorizing Practices in Households, Communities, and Classrooms. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.

12. Ethnic Identity and Academic Achievement College students draw from their strong sense of Chicana/o identity especially when confronted with hostile environments or racism in educational settings. In all the studies, having a strong sense of racial-ethnic identity buffered the negative effects many Latina and Latino students confront on a daily basis as they attempt to achieve their educational goals. Moll, L, Amanti, C., Neff, D. & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory Into Practice, 31 (2), 132-141.

13. Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) • CCW shifts the lens away from a deficit view of communities of color as places full of cultural poverty or disadvantages, and instead focuses on and learns from these communities’ cultural assets and wealth (Yosso, 2005, P. 82). • CCW “is an array of knowledge, skills, abilities and contacts possessed and utilized by Communities of Color to survive and resist macro and micro-forms of oppression” (P. 77).

14. Background on CCW – Luis Moll, Funds of Knowledge • “Historically accumulated bodies of knowledge and skills essential for household and individual functioning.” • Study of the household and classroom practices of working-class Mexican communities • Draw on the knowledge and skills found in local households and how funds of knowledge are used in dealing with social and economic circumstances • Ethnographic observations, open-ended interviews, life histories and case studies • Drawing on this knowledge to develop participatory pedagogy Moll, L, Amanti, C., Neff, D. & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory Into Practice, 31 (2), 132-141.

15. A Model of Community Cultural Wealth Social Capital Linguistic Capital Familial Capital COMMUNITY CULTURAL WEALTH Cultural Capital Aspirational Capital Navigational Capital Resistant Capital (Yosso 2005 & 2006)

16. Aspirational Capital “Ability to maintain hopes and dreams for the future even in the face of barriers” (p.41) • Latino/a parents persistently demonstrate high aspirations for their children, even without the means to obtain those goals. • Cuentos/Stories • Dichos (proverbs or sayings) • Consejos (advice or counsel)

17. Linguistic Capital “Intellectual and social skills learned through communication experiences in more than one language and/or style” (p.43) • Latino/a students arrive at school with a variety of language and communication skills • oral histories, parables, cuentos, dichos • Visual art, poetry, music • Translation • Vocabulary, audience awareness, math skills, teaching and tutoring skills, family responsibility and social maturity

18. Navigational Capital “Skills for maneuvering through social institutions not created with Latinos in mind” (p.43) • Racially-hostile educational, health care and other systems. • University students • High levels of achievement despite stressful events and conditions • Racial battle fatigue • Microaggressions • Imposter and survivor syndrome • Loyalty to one’s homeland and culture

19. Social Capital “Networks of people and community resources” (p.45) • Relationships • Achievement of goals • Trust, norms and expectations • Common goal of academic success (homework, sharing a computer, study group, scholarships) • Common among immigrant youth and females • Neighborhoods • Fundraising • Systems

20. Familial Capital “Cultural knowledge nurtured among familia (kin) that carry a sense of community history, memory and cultural intuition (p.48) • Educación • Moral, social and personal responsibility that serves as a foundation for all learning • Formal academic training but also being respectful, caring and well-mannered • Taking children to work • Storytelling and giving advice

21. Resistant Capital “Knowledge and skills cultivated through behavior that challenges inequality” (p.49) • Resistance to subordination • Some behaviors may be self-defeating • Social justice orientation: • Motivation to transform oppressive structures for themselves and others.

22. ACTIVITY • Refer to the handout, From Deficits to Assets: Exploring Cultural Wealth in the Latina/o Community • Follow the directions on the handout • You have 15 minutes • Discuss as a group

23. Anáhuac School and Community Engagement Program • Introduction • Ethnic Identity • 3. Values • Vision • Self-Discipline and Responsibility • Leadership • 7. Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) Prevention • 8. Health and Well Being • 9. Importance of an Education • 10. Program Graduation

24. Anáhuac School and Community Engagement Program Short-term Outcomes (Learning) 1. Knowledge about Mesoamerican Indigenous culture and history is increased 2. Feelings of self-efficacy are increased 3. Commitment to school is increased 4. Favorable attitudes toward dropping out of school are reduced 5. Bonding to school is increased 6. Life skills are increased Mid-term Outcomes (Action) 7. School attendance is increased 8. Participation in extracurricular activities is increased 9. Youth involvement in the community is increased

25. Anáhuac School and Community Engagement Program The Aztecs still live. Remove the pure-blooded Indian from Mexico, and you lose two-fifths of the population; take out those with Indian blood in their veins, and a bare twentieth of the population will remain. The face of Mexico is an Indian face. Yet, travel in Mexico and read its history, and you will see as if in strata, the impress of the colonial period, the republic, the empire of Maximilian, the dictatorship of Diaz and the modern social thinking of the revolution. The Indian civilization you do not see, except for its descendants, who are everywhere, are the Mexican people. Though their outward aspect and their material and social culture are European, the stamp of the Aztec character is on their minds, just as the masonry of broken Aztec temples is built into the walls of their churches (p.152).George Vaillant

26. Anáhuac School and Community Engagement Program Three groups comprise over 75 percent of the Hispanic population, Mexican (64.04 percent), Puerto Rican (9.01 percent) and Cuban, (3.44 percent). Forbes suggests that: The U.S. Government must have reasons in addition to those which I have alluded for creating a new “Spanish empire” of linked nationalities. I would suggest that one of the major ones is to empower white-skinned or assimilation-oriented Spaniards and Cubans, and socioeconomic elites from elsewhere as spokespersons and brokers for a fictitious Hispanic group. These brokers can then replace or exclude the nationalistic or radical leadership developed within the Puerto Rican and Chicano-Mexicano communities. In short, as Hispanics, white Spaniards or Argentineans can now serve as “leaders” for nationalities with which they have nothing in common save the commonality that a wealthy Spanish capitalist or landowner has with an Indian peasant or migrant worker (1992, p. 67).

27. Anáhuac School and Community Engagement Program The Census Bureau data on Hispanics typically includes the disclaimer “People who identify their origin as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.” While language is to some extent a common factor among Hispanics, there are significant racial, ethnic and cultural differences between the groups that comprise the Hispanic rubric. “All too often scholars and social workers dealing with Mexican-Americans ignore their Americanoid racial characteristics and regard them as simply another European-type Minority group with certain cultural and linguistic problems; in doing so, they help Mexican-Americans in their tragic escape from the realities of their native American heritage…A ‘curtain of silence’ has been draped around the questions of the racial characteristic of Mexican-Americans and how these characteristic might influence relations with Anglo Americans” (Forbes, 1968, p. 55).

28. Conclusions/Lessons Learned • Latina/o students draw from various forms of cultural wealth to navigate the educational pipeline (Yosso, 2005). • Their families’ aspirations guide their goals, visions and determination to persist on their journey through school. • Latino families intentionally and purposefully create and transmit meaningful information, knowledge and assets to their children to succeed in educational spaces and environments (Delgado Bernal, 2001, 2002; Hurtado, 2003; Villenas, 2001).

29. Conclusions/Lessons Learned Inclusiveness with mixed ethnicity groups Awareness of academic level Adaptability/flexibility to modify activities Understanding, acceptance and in-depth knowledge of Mexican Indigenous and Chicano families’ cultural values and traditions Bringing elders, parents and community members reinforces lessons Bringing local Latina/o professionals helps students visualize the possibilities

30. Recommendations: • Develop K-12 and higher education initiatives to encourage consciousness raising pedagogy. • Support the work of student activists. • Provide educators/administrators with the training to be able to draw on CCW skills and resources. • Incorporate culturally relevant curriculum and critical pedagogy in K-12 and higher education. • Case studies, interviewing or meeting to learn about home life and cultural practices • Train critical educators and teach them how to mentor critical students.

31. Community Cultural Wealth ACTIVITY/DISCUSSION • Divide into groups of 3 or 4 • Select a facilitator, timekeeper, recorder and spokesperson • Discuss specific types of capital in Communities of Color that you work with: • ASPIRATIONAL • LINGUISTIC • NAVIGATIONAL • SOCIAL • FAMILIAL • RESISTANCE • OTHERS? • How can you apply CCW in your programs or setting? • Prepare a summary report, you have 20 minutes.

32. “Among values that characterize Hispanic culture are those of hard work, self-improvement and respect for learning. Too often, however, these strengths of the Hispanic family are frustrated or ignored by schools and school systems.”(Center for Latino Educational Excellence, 2003).