A Narrative Study Examining Latina Collegians’ Maternal Relationships and Their Influence on Educational Trajectories

Abstract

ABSTRACT Scholarship on Latinx communities has consistently underscored the role that families play in college students’ educational aspirations and success. Forms of familial empowerment are particularly beneficial as Latinx college students encounter environments and individuals that do not account for their cultural knowledges. A subset of this literature has focused on the gendered dynamics that exist as Latina daughters navigate postsecondary education, especially as they employ lessons and strategies from their mothers. To add to this scholarship, this study engaged a narrative inquiry methodological approach to examine the stories of twelve Latina college students. Informed by a conceptual framework integrating community cultural wealth (CCW) and funds of knowledge, we were interested in how Latina daughters described the influence of their maternal relationships on their educational journeys. Findings illustrated how mothers translated their own funds of knowledge to their daughters; how daughters interpreted this knowledge and, in turn, gained capital; and how they mobilized these capitals to sustain the larger community. We then provide implications for future research and practice.