What We Bring With Us: Investing in Latinx Students Means Investing in Families

Abstract

The educational landscape of the United States has shifted as more low-income, first-generation Latinx students enroll in 4-year universities. Despite this, many underlying structures and practices of these institutions still reflect the cultural norms of culturally dominant groups (e.g., White, upper-to-middle-class, continuing-generation), privileging individualism. This overlooks the cultural values of low-income, first-generation Latinx students, who often prioritize interdependent connections and obligations. When universities do not recognize familial obligations, students must decide between helping family or doing well in school—which complicates their capacity to succeed academically. To graduate diverse future leaders and build a diverse workforce, educators and policymakers must consider that investing in students means investing in their families, too. Concrete examples, from small interventions to large-scale policy changes, illustrate meaningful investment strategies.