Silenced Struggles: The Experiences of Latina and Latino Undocumented College Students in California
![handle is hein.journals/nevlj7 and id is 847 raw text is: SILENCED STRUGGLES: THE
EXPERIENCES OF LATINA AND LATINO
UNDOCUMENTED COLLEGE
STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA
Lindsay Perez Huber and Maria C. Malagon*
ABSTRACT: Latinalo Critical Race Theory (LatCrit) exposes multiple forms of
oppression Latinalo students experience, including race, class, gender, language,
and immigration status. We utilize this theoretical framework to examine critically
the experiences of Latina and Latino undocumented college students in California
public institutions of higher education. Through six in-depth interviews with Latinal
o undocumented college students, this Article explores the unique experiences and
obstacles these students encounter in their college careers. We offer several policy
recommendations for California institutions to support better their Latinalo undocu-
mented student populations under current legislative restrictions.
I. INTRODUCTION
Research on the movement of Latina/o1 students through the educational
pipeline has found that a disproportionate number of Latina/o students are grad-
uating from the high school, college, and graduate segments of the pipeline.'
In California, Latina/o students comprise almost half of the entire K-12 public
school system; however, only fifty-two out of every hundred of these students
will graduate high school. Only ten of the hundred will graduate from college,
only four will graduate with a graduate or professional degree, and less than
one student will receive a doctorate.3 With educational attainment rates so low
for a major segment of the state's population, it is crucial that researchers
examine the Latina/o student experience and strategize ways to improve this
pipeline.
The growing disparity between the knowledge-based California economy
and the ability of the soon-to-be Latina/o majority population to accommodate
* Lindsay Perez Huber and Maria Malagon are doctoral students in Social Science and
Comparative Education with a specialization in Race and Ethnic Studies at the University of
California, Los Angeles.
I The term Latinas/os refers to a non-homogenous [racial] group of persons of Mexican,
Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central American, and South American heritage. It should be men-
tioned that while most studies use the term Latina/o as a homogenous category, there are
differences among and within various Latina/o subgroups. LINDSAY PEREZ HUBER ET AL.,
UCLA CHICANO STUIES RESEARCH CENTER, FALLING THROUGH ThE CRACKS: CRITICAL
TRANSITIONS IN THE LATINAIo EDUCATIONAL PIPELINE 12 n.l (2006).
2 Id. at 2.
3 Id. at 1-2; U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, UNITED STATES CENSUS 2000: SUMMARY FILE 4 (SF4),
http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html (last visited Aug. 26, 2006).](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/nevlj7&div=41&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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Silenced Struggles: The Experiences of Latina and Latino Undocumented College Students in California
Contact us for annual subscription options:
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