Somos Tejas: A Narrative Project to Document the College Experiences of First‐Generation Latinx Students

Moyna, María Irene; Zapata, Gabriela C.

Abstract

This study reports on a project that collected and documented narrative reflections of first‐generation Latinx students at a large
Research 1 public university in the US southwest. The team (2 faculty members and 4 undergraduates) interviewed 23 students
(20 undergraduate and 3 graduate) on topics including family, community, sense of belonging in their institution and major
experiences as first‐generation students, future goals, and advice and recommendations for others. Their responses were
analyzed with a modified version of Garriott's (2020) Critical Cultural Wealth Model, with the help of the software MAXQDA.
The first important takeaway is that undergraduate and graduate students had different perceptions, with the latter respondents
expressing more critical views. The second finding was that several institutional resources were highly effective in achieving
students’ integration, including culturally congruent organizations and traditions. That said, participants also experienced
academic dissonance navigating the financial and academic complexities of college life, which led to feelings of isolation,
marginalization, and tokenization. The final takeaway is that students turned to support from their families and communities to
overcome challenges, which suggests that measures to integrate family and school will benefit these students.

Citation

Moyna, M. I., & Zapata, G. C. (2024). Somos Tejas: A Narrative Project to Document the College Experiences of First‐Generation Latinx Students. Diversity & Inclusion Research, 1(2), Article e70003. https://doi.org/10.1002/dvr2.70003

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 1, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Sep 30, 2024
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2024
• Deposit Date: Oct 3, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 4, 2024
• Journal: Diversity & Inclusion Research
• Electronic ISSN: 2835-236X
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 1
• Issue: 2
• Article Number: e70003
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/dvr2.70003
• Keywords: first‐generation Latinx students, cultural capital, critical cultural wealth model, higher education
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/40286350