This study explores the use of participatory action research (PAR) as pedagogy with adults to create dialog about their educational experiences connected with learning mathematics. The dialog, largely centered on race and poverty and how those aspects factored into their learning, produced the opportunity for critical reflection. This dialog gave students a context for investigating mathematical concepts. The novel pedagogy allowed students to re-evaluate assumptions they had about their ability to learn mathematics, hence affecting a change in their identity. The data presented here is viewed through the lens of transformative learning and its relation to identity. The ultimate goal of this paper is to provide evidence that participatory educational environments provide adults with effective opportunities to develop a greater sense of self within the academic environment, thereby enhancing their chances to succeed.