Leticia Abril Diaz- Forces of Resistance and Spaces of Persistence

Patton, McEwen, Rendon, & Howard-Hamilton (2007) believe that higher education and student affairs professionals have been provided with various student development theories, however, there is a lack in the knowledge and use of theories. The authors suggest that as professionals, we engage in a critical examination of theories and a way to do so is by exploring the roles of race and racism (Patton et al., 2007). Race, racism, and racial ideologies are areas that are sometimes overlooked and under researched  (Patton et al., 2007; Yosso, Smith, Ceja, & Solorzano, 2009). Yosso et al. (2009) suggest to begin analyzing students experiences by the use of critical race theory (CRT). CRT derived from critical legal studies in the 1980’s and it accounted for the role of race and persistence of racism in the U.S. (Yosso et al., 2009). CRT has evolved to provide a framework to examine the experience, response, and resistance of racism and other forms of oppression (Patton et al., 2007; Yosso et al., 2009). Moreover, CRT can serve as a tool to identify inequities and hierarchies and transform campus climates (Patton et al., 2007).

Yosso’s et al. (2009) article resonates with me the most because it helped me identify critical language for my experiences and the students of color that I have and will continue to work with. I was born in San Diego and raised within the traditional Mexican culture. After graduating from high school I attended community college, which is classified as a Hispanic serving institution. Its students population is approximately 80% Latino and the majority are first generation Mexican-American students. When I first transferred to UCLA, a predominantly White institution, I endured a “transfer shock” from the overwhelming transition to the university life that catered to the predominant culture (Jain, Herrera, Bernal, & Solorzano, 2011). I experienced some institutional microaggressions that instilled feelings of alienation and discouragement. I endured what Yosso et al. (2009) describe as “cultural starvation”, the physical environment was embodied largely by the dominant culture and furthermore, it was not until my last quarter in college that I had my first Latino/a professor who was S. Hurtado. Similar to the methods used by Yosso et al. (2009) study, I was able to claim agency of my experiences when I learned to critically articulate my experiences, critically navigate the higher education system, and when I realized I was not alone experiencing certain institutional microaggressions. In order to dismantle a historical racial power base I was able to identify the UCLA Academic Advancement Program as a community that fostered achievement and excellence amongst underrepresented students. This program consisted of a transfer receptive culture and reconstructed the notion that was stamped on my identities of being “at-risk” to being “at-potential” (Jain et al., 2011).

Although I was able to identify a space of persistence, higher education campuses still consist of many pockets and forces of resistance. For instance, Marisol is a peer of mine and is a dual major in Physics and Comparative Literature. One day she arrived early at her Physic’s lecture session. As she walks down the aisle to chose a seat the professor attempts to catch her attention by telling her “the trash is over here”. Given that Marisol did not pay attention nor process his statement, she proceeded to walk towards a seat. The professor projects his voice and says to her for a second time “the trash is over here”, this time pointing to the trash bin sitting next to the white board. Marisol was confused, looked around the room and saw that she was the only student in the classroom. Startled by his statement, she tells her professor, “I am one of your students”. The professor frantically apologized. Based on Marisol’s physical traits, it was assumed that she works for the universities maintenance. Marisol’s experience depicts the interpersonal microaggression of a verbal racial affront directed to her from a professor (Yosso et al., 2009). This situation led her to question her intelligence and can further leave her feeling that her presence disrupts the “natural” state of being on campus (Yosso et al., 2009).

 It is important to understand the fluid and omni-presence of students’ intersections of race with other identities such as gender, class, nationality, surname, language, etc. The subtle nature of overt incidents accumulates assaults and is substance of oppressive structures (Yosso et al., 2009). CRT can be a tool to deconstruct oppressive structures and discourses, reconstruct human agency, and construct equitable and social justice relations of power (Ladson-Billings, 1998).  Over the past years the U.S. higher education system has experienced phases and spaces of hostile campus climates. These pockets and forces of resistance have led students to utilize media as an outlet to share their experiences in order to deconstruct oppressive structures, reconstruct human agency, and develop equitable power relations. For instance, a group of UCLA School of Law Black students shared their experiences of the expectation and emotional toll placed on them as students that are part of the underrepresented student body (Hing, 2014). A student from the clip shares, “No one can help me. No one can jump in. No one can at least acknowledge that anything I am saying is truth” (2004). Yosso et al. (2009) describe this situation as rejection of the students’ efforts to become integrated. The stress these students endure sprouts from the microaggressions targeted to any of their intersecting identities. Understanding the intersectionalities of our students and of our own can provide a better understanding of a student and as higher education and student affairs professionals, to better serve our students. Higher Education institutions should strive to commit to race, ethnic, and cultural awareness and knowledge of self and others, and we should critically evaluate historical views from different perspectives. Lastly, we should encourage to employ the constructs of multiculturalism and diversity in our teaching and learning environments.

Questions:

1.     Vincent Tinto’s student development model has remained as one of the most frequently cited, however it does not account for the experience of the campus racial climate of students of color (Patton et al., 2007; Yosso et al., 2009). Aside or in conjunction to CRT what are other forms/models/methods you would propose to examine a student’s racial identity development?

2.     How do student development models account for student experiences that are not among the traditional 4-year institution/traditional college experience?

3.     Given the rapid growth of student enrollment within the community college (CC) system how does this system facilitative a student’s race identity development and promote a healthy campus climate?

4.     Due to the increase of CC students that desire and/or plan to transfer to 4-year institutions, should CC higher education and student affairs professionals have the responsibility of providing a campus climate parallel to the environment fostered at neighboring 4-year institutions?

References:

Barrios, P.G. & Egan, M. (2002). Living in a Bicultural World and Finding the Way Home: Native Women's Stories. Sage Publications.

Hing, J. (2014) NOW: In Racial Justice. How Does It Feel to Be a Black Student at UCLA Law School?. Retrieved from: http://colorlines.com/archives/2014/02/how_does_it_feel_to_be_a_black_student_at_ucla_law_school_video.html

Jain D., Herrera A., Bernal, S. & Solorzano, D. (2011) Critical Race Theory and the Transfer Function: Introducing a Transfer Receptive Culture, Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 35(3), 252-266.

Ladson-Billings, G. (2010) Just what is critical race theory and what’s it doing in a nice field like education?, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 11(1), 7-24.

Patton, L. D., McEwen, M., Rendón, L., & Howard Hamilton, M. F. (2007). Critical race perspectives on theory in student affairs. New Directions for Student Services, 2007(120), 39-53.

Yosso, T. J., Smith, W. A., Ceja, M., & Solorzano, D. G. (2009). Critical race theory, racial microaggressions, and campus racial climate for Latina/o undergraduates. Harvard Educational Review, 79(4), 659-691.