U.S. educational institutions are rooted in classist, privileged, and sexist ideologies, leaving women, especially women of color, inadequately supported in their pursuit of higher education. Higher education has been influenced heavily by and primarily created for Anglo males, creating systemic barriers for women and people of color. The purpose…

The Latinx population in California surpassed 15 million in 2022, constituting 39% of the state's residents. Despite Latinx students making up nearly half of the California Community Colleges (CCC) student body in 2019, there remains a notable lack of Latina representation in CCC leadership. To understand this disparity, a qualitative study…

This project focused on the study of resilient Latinas in California Community Colleges and how educators and administrators can better support them through resilience-informed teaching practices, college policies, and support services. It studied factors specifically related to Latinas' resilience. Critical resilience is the theoretical…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how Hispanic female administrators describe their experiences with discrimination at work, and how those experiences may have played a role in their career progression as community college leaders in the United States. The theoretical foundation of the study was critical race theory…

The purpose of the study is to understand how Latina community college students perceive and experience academic advising that has been redesigned within the guided pathways framework. Critical Race Theory (CRT) is used to frame the research study from a racialized lens and to problematize the race-neutral framework of guided pathways. I utilized…

A "critical access point in the STEM pipeline for Latinx students and other students of color" (Herrera et al., 2018), community colleges provide a seminal breeding ground for academic pursuits (Bahr et al., 2017). However, how personal networks influence STEM pathways of two-year college students remains largely unexplored. This mixed…

This qualitative research study explores the experiences of four Latina community college students through focused group discussions, incorporating artifacts and vision galleries to unveil their diverse roles. Shifting perspectives, the research questions inform the design of educational interventions addressing psychological distress, mental…

Research demonstrates that Women of Color faculty experience multiple systems of oppression in the academy. However, much of the literature surrounding the topic of Women of Color faculty is situated within university environments. A paucity of research sheds light on the experiences of Women of Color faculty within the community college setting.…

Latina community college students face significant barriers in achieving their educational goals, particularly transferring to 4-year institutions. Despite comprising a large and growing demographic within community colleges, their unique needs and experiences often remain unaddressed. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of…

This phenomenological study explored the ways women served as validating agents for Latino men who had transferred from a community college to a four-year institution. Informed by Rendón's theory of validation, participants expressed numerous ways in which women figures (e.g., mothers, sisters, significant others) were sources of validation across…

This article presents the testimonios of the gendered and cultural pathways of two Latina community college administrators. Recommendations for improving Latina leadership development include the development of a Carnala Community Network and institutional interventions for providing culturally relevant professional development opportunities.

This chapter provides a portrait of midlevel Latina leadership in community colleges, focusing on the intersections of gender and race. The chapter will also examine the challenges and barriers Latinas face as midlevel leaders, the role of mentors, as well as provide recommendations for community colleges to help increase the numbers of Latina…

The Latino population in the United States has grown significantly over the last decade, and Latina representation has grown more quickly than that of Latinos. Expanding Latina representation in postsecondary programs is critical to meeting the nation's future workforce and civic leadership needs. This fact sheet provides an overview of the Latina…

Research shows that cultural, socioeconomic, and challenging college admission processes are three themes plaguing Latina students pursing higher education. Latinas are faced with familial obligations, strained income gaps, and limited resources supporting their college application process. The purpose of this study was to determine if enrollment…

This dissertation examined the motivation and source of support for first-generation Latina community college students who aspire to transfer to a four-year institution. The study is informed by Yosso's Community Cultural Wealth model, to explore how participants navigate their school environment and the vertical transfer process through an…