This dissertation focused on the literacy practices of three female students institutionally labeled "migrant" as they used reading, writing, and speaking in and out of the classroom as tools for agency. A history of socioeconomic and educational inequities that surround the migratory farmworking population and a tradition of lesser political, economic, and educational power for girls and women provided the context for this qualitative study. Central to this critical ethnography were the literacy experiences and perceptions of the participants and how these experiences led, or not, to the development of critical literacies. The findings comprise three overarching themes that reflect the use my three participants made of their literacies to exercise agency: (a) the participants used their literacy practices to control their image; (b) the participants revealed an awareness of disparities between home and school literacies opting for the school literacies that they perceived to have social capital; and (c) an elevated literate self-image gave the participants a sense of security in their human agency that may not withstand in the outside world. Critical theory led the analysis and interpretation of the data in this qualitative interpretivist study. The aim was to provide an insider's perspective into the literacy experiences of these migratory girls so that educators can make better curricular and pedagogical decisions that create the appropriate environment for migratory students, in particular migratory farmworking girls, to further develop their critical literacy skills. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]