DISSERTATION CRITICAL NARRATIVES OF MULTIETHNIC WOMEN FOCUSING ON THEIR INDIGENOUS ETHNICITY: NAVIGATING THE SCHOOLING SYSTEM FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD THROUGH MASTER’S AND BEYOND Submitted by Phyllis Chacon School of Education In partial fulfillment of requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado Fall 2015 Doctoral Committee: Advisor: William Timpson Sharon Anderson James Banning Roe Bubar Copyright by Phyllis Chacon 2015 All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT CRITICAL NARRATIVES OF MULTIETHNIC WOMEN FOCUSING ON THEIR INDIGENOUS ETHNICITY: NAVIGATING THE SCHOOLING SYSTEM FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD THROUGH MASTER’S AND BEYOND This qualitative inquiry into the completion of a Masters and or Doctorate degree by Native American women is the result of 25 years as a student and professional in the field of education. Within a nation that claims to provide an equal and fair education for all its citizens, the stark underrepresentation of indigenous women in higher education is a topic that needs to be reconciled. This study examined the lives of four multiethnic Native women who obtained advanced degrees. The study examined the lives of Native women who have been scattered across the land. Today, many indigenous women are multiethnic living in two cultures. Many have held on to their birthright and cultures while adapting and persevering into the dominant culture. Nine themes emerged from interviewing the four women for this study: (1) self- determination, (2) cultural oppression, (3) racial/ethnic identity (4) social environment/economics, (5) marginalization, (6) violence, (7) love of learning, (8) family systems, and (9) educational systems. Recommendations for further graduate inquiry based on the schooling of Native women include: ii 1. Expand the study to Native women being educated on the reservation vs. Native women being educated in suburban and urban schools during their K though 12th grade education. 2. A qualitative and quantitative study on measurements of services; tools such as computers, support programs, gaps in test scores and graduation rates. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The journey to doctorate has been one of trial and error, including many challenges and personal struggles. In this, I am not alone; we all endure our own by being human. I am especially grateful to the women of the study who persevered to complete a graduate degree. I want to thank you for sharing your stories and the painful memories that were once again brought to the surface. You continued to persevere navigating through the trials and inequities of the educational system. Each woman is an inspiration and role model to Native American women of multi ethnicity. Indigenous women fought to keep their homes, family together, their land, and way of life. It was during the time when children were pulled from families and forced into boarding schools. Sometimes they were separated from their family and blended into the dominant culture, never to return home. Indigenous identity was taken, yet they continue to endure racial discrimination and cultural oppression. They were forced to compromise values and mores to survive in a capitalistic system. Indigenous people were caring for the planet, Mother Earth when their way of life was taken. The industrialized nation grew; we have come full circle to the near destruction of the planet. It is the lives of our ancestors that endured and persevered that I give acknowledgement. It is the Indian woman, the full blood and the multi ethnic indigenous woman today that continues to hold her family together and is not afraid to stand up to keep the history and values of the culture alive. The four women who were willing to share their stories openly for this study embody this tradition. They are all actively engaged in the system of higher education and would like their story to make a difference for others. I want to thank each of them for sharing their time and stories that made this study possible. iv The professors in my committee have pushed me forward as well. My advisor, Dr. Timpson, has been supportive and given me the freedom to write and express my voice in the research. He has been my mentor since I began this doctoral journey. Dr. Banning thank you for giving me the support and extra time with the methodology. Thank you for your continued support and belief in me. I cannot express my gratitude of your support during this endeavor, especially the trials. Thank you to Dr. Anderson who agreed to be part of my committee and continued to remain supportive through the challenges. I will not forget. Special thanks go to my dear friend & colleague Dr. Guadalupe Salazar. Lupe and I met during this journey; we were our own cohort. She had not forgotten me and continued to make a point to ask me: Have you been writing? How is your literature review? Are you keeping up with your references? Did you fill out your study calendar for this week? She remained a support when obstacles continued to present themselves. Her continued support & friendship are priceless and is greatly treasured. I thank you for your participation in my accomplishment of achieving a life long goal. I realized there would be obstacles and those who will not have what it takes to honor the profession of education equity for all students. I realize that students regardless of what path or year in their educational goal may encounter bias. It is a testament to the work that lies before us as stewards of educational equality. Thank you to Evelyn Swiss for her help in the final edits to move the document forward. You are most assuredly one of the angels on campus. v DEDICATION This study is a dedication to my grandparents, Daniel Chacon and Eloisa Garcia Chacon, born on the Jicarilla Apache reservation in Clayton, New Mexico. I want to thank them both for their time and patience with me. They shared their stories of life on and off the reservation, and tried to teach me their native language. While I could not appreciate the value then, these memories have been my motivation. I also dedicate this study to my grandparents, Esquipula Trujillo and Josephine Cordova Trujillo, decedents of Spanish and Cherokee who left this world too early. To my parents, who persevered through the trials of an educational system where they were asked to sit at the back of the room; and then struggled in a language they did not know. They persevered through their own tenacity to succeed. Neither graduated from high school, however, at fifty years of age my mother did receive her GED. Ultimately, I want to inspire my children, Daniel and Amanda to dream, have faith, hold fast to family values, to each other, believe in yourself, and recognize the courage instilled in you by a Higher Power. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................. vii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 Theoretical and Pragmatic Basis of the Study ............................................................................ 1 Researcher’s Perspective ............................................................................................................. 2 History: Systematic Deculturalization ........................................................................................ 4 The Study .................................................................................................................................. 12 Cultural Deprivation .................................................................................................................. 12 Problem Statement .................................................................................................................... 16 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................................. 17 Significance of the Study .......................................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ................................................................ 19 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 19 Indigenous Lens ........................................................................................................................ 23 Colonialism and Federalism ...................................................................................................... 25 Era of Self Determination ......................................................................................................... 26 Researching Indigenous Populations ........................................................................................ 28 CHAPTER THREE: QUALITATIVE POSITION ...................................................................... 33 Indigenous Methodology..........................................................................................................