The Value of M(other)work: Reframing Parent Involvement Through a Muxerista Framework

Abstract

ABSTRACT Schools traditionally measure parent involvement based on a set of scripted tasks and practices, which diminishes the unique forms of parent engagement that historically marginalized parents engage in. Based on the experiences of ten Mexican immigrant mothers and their daughters, in this article, I aim to reframe parent involvement through a muxerista framework. Using Chicana/Latina feminist theory, I examined the ways the mothers supported the educational attainment of their high-achieving daughters. Data comprised 30 pláticas: 10 from the mothers, 10 from the daughters, and 10 from each mother-daughter dyad. I discuss three distinct ways in which the mothers involved themselves in their high-achieving daughters’ education, including via work, spirituality, and storytelling. This muxerista form of parent involvement provided the daughters with the skills and knowledge to navigate oppression. I conclude with a call for educators to reimagine parent involvement through the epistemologies and lived experiences of Parents of Color.