Embracing abuelita epistemologies, “Nací para bailar”: A pathway for creating culturally sustaining lessons for LatinX students

Abstract

The study examines how LatinX children can strengthen their identities through authentic school-community collaborative partnerships by building on cultural and familial capital. A critical ethnography (Palmer & Caldas, 2015) was employed to explore the effects of utilizing a community artist to impart ancestral knowledge- abuelita epistemologies to students at a K-5 elementary school. Data were collected via interviews, students' critical reflections, and drawings revealed how culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogies contributed to students' understanding of the many levels of culture in relation to their own identity. Through the use of cultural sensitivity, cafecitos and convivos were incorporated as data collection sites. The findings further emphasize the importance of drawing upon subaltern knowledge, such as local community members, to challenge the traditional K-12 curriculum for LatinX students.