Resistance Capital as a Cultural Asset That Supports Latina Leadership Development & Address Environmental Leadership Challenges in K-12 Schools

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study delves into the leadership experiences of Latinx women in their professional work contexts who serve as K-12 school principals in public schools located in New Jersey. It accentuates the obstacles faced by these Latina administrators in their roles as school principals to deconstruct negative perceptions and biases toward Latina principals rooted in social identity stereotypes of gender and ethnicity. The study’s findings reveal how their leadership challenges have empowered them to confront microaggressions from intersecting social identity stereotypes related to gender and ethnicity. The primary objective of the research is to dispel misconceptions about Latina school principals and advocate for inclusive leadership practices. The findings indicate that the sustained career success of the Latina school principals in this study was driven by resistant capital (CCW, Yosso & Yosso, 2005; Yosso & Escobedo, 2022), a form of cultural asset that presents an alternative narrative about Latina educational leaders. This study underscores the significance of recruiting and retaining Latina school principals in urban districts and proposes a framework for preparing Latina leaders from K-12 through college.