Chapter 6: Converging Identities: Latinx Student Communities and Transformative Practices

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his 1967 speech, “Where Do We Go From Here?” said, “There is no deficit in human resources, the deficit is in human will” (King, 1967). Almost 50 years later, we can clearly see these words manifested in the persistent inequality in higher education opportunities and outcomes for underserved students. Progressively, diverse communities are a vital component towards building inclusivity in higher education. Within universities and colleges, student affairs professionals are seeking ways to diversify campuses and unite the cultural divide in our nation. Currently, the conversations around xenophobia of diverse people, racial divisions, and social injustices are rising on every social media outlet all over the world. It is no different for colleges and universities administrators dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic and transitions back to normalcy. During these ongoing cultural divisions, many collegiate institutions have engaged in programs and counseling support for underrepresented groups of Latinos/as, African American, and Asian students. Diversity includes numerous designations including but not limited to religion, nationality, race, sexual orientation, or mental health. (Maldonado et al., 2018). The convergence of identity in the lives of college students can present increasingly principal factors for Latina/o students. The compounding factors associated with immigration, acculturation, and social connections are crucial to not only understand but conceptualize through a multidimensional view of racial identity for Latinx students. Because the convergence of identity is multifarious, researchers have explored relevant aspects such as race, ethnicity, gender, social class, and their relationship to experiences with discrimination, oppression, privilege, and oppressive systems (Bell, 1979; Bowleg, 2008; Cuellar, 2012; Hankivski, 2012; Jones & Abes, 2013). More specifically, Pulliam and Gonzales (2018) postulate a multidimensional approach to viewing Latinx students rather than one primarily based on a race or ethnicity. There should be an integration of all other social identities simultaneously to support the student from a holistic perspective (p. 211). Researcher Torres (1999, 2003) put forth a bicultural orientation model of Latinx identity formation which includes ethnicity and race combined as a fluid integration.