Aspirational and High-Achieving Latino College Men Who Strive “Por Mi Madre”: Toward a Proposed Model of Maternal Cultural Wealth

Abstract

This article builds upon Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth framework to propose a Latinidad model of Maternal Cultural Wealth (MCW). Drawing from the experiences of Latinos whose persistence motivations are rooted in their desire to honor mothers for their love, resilience, protection, and sacrifice, MCW proposes filial piety and custodial, emotional, and provident forms of capital to illuminate our understanding of the ways mothers motivate Latino men to aspire to and persist within postsecondary education.

Making meaning of the hidden curriculum: Translating wise interventions to usher university change.

“…Funds of knowledge and community cultural wealth offer frameworks that highlight and privilege the skills, knowledge, and resources of minoritized students, families, and communities (González et al, 2005; Moll et al, 1992; Yosso, 2005). Instead of viewing cultural capital as an accumulation of knowledge and skills only possessed by the privileged, this work outlines capital often overlooked and undervalued in schools (see also Ballysingh, 2021; Garriott, 2020).…”

Mechanisms of Matriculation: School Counseling Resources and College Going for Latino Men

“…School counselors in training must also have opportunities to explore and counteract implicit biases through counternarratives and asset-based narratives of Latinx/a/o educational attainment such as those offered by the qualitative literature (Ballysingh, 2019a, 2019b). Addressing implicit bias is an essential component of academic training if counselors are to enhance Latinos’ college-going social capital.…”

“…In a separate study, Latino students recounted how counselors tracked them toward less selective institutions despite clear academic qualifications and eligibility for financial assistance (Ballysingh, 2019b). Findings such as these may explain why Latinx/a/o students anticipate postsecondary institutional obstacles during college choice and transition (Acevedo-Gil, 2019), why college planning and preparation do not match college aspirations (Huerta et al, 2020), and why many Latinos, in particular, must leverage cultural capital, such as maternal cultural wealth, in lieu of adequate institutional support to pursue college (Ballysingh, 2019a).…”

Factors Influencing Optimism for Degree Attainment in Latino First-Generation College Students

“…Relationships with parents also contribute to passion and perseverance towards long-term goals through the internalization of family values. Many Latino students report that they are driven to succeed in order to make their parents proud, and to repay them for their sacrifices that enabled them to attend college (Ballysingh, 2019;Gutierrez, Romo, & Chagolla, 2020). A close interdependent relationship with their families may also enhance student resilience by increasing their commitment to pursue a meaningful major or degree.…”