Promoting Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation With Latinx Immigrants

Abstract

AbstractCulturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation requires evaluators to understand the social and intersectional identity experienced by Hispanic/Latino/Latinx communities, inclusive of immigrants in the United States. This chapter introduces relevant issues for evaluators to consider when working with Latinx immigrants. Evaluators must simultaneously address biases that people have toward Latinx immigrants; heed intergroup diversity among Latino immigrants, and increase Latinx immigrants' knowledge about their existing environment and their ability to advocate for themselves. Likewise, they must advocate for change in policies and practices of public, private, and nonprofit institutions to be more welcoming and responsive to Latinx immigrants' needs; build social support and foster a shared sense of community between immigrants and their communities, and transform the way multiple institutions with related goals and services work together to provide more seamless support to Latinx immigrants. Furthermore, stakeholders must be involved in the change process, with data made available at the stakeholder level to incite change. Therefore, evaluators must spend adequate time during the design phase to align their understanding, expectations, and strategies. Evaluators working collaboratively with diverse Latinx immigrants ensures these perspectives are integrated throughout the process and to address unanticipated challenges.