Copyright by Claudia Louis 2016 The Dissertation Committee for Claudia Louis certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Invisible no More: AfroLatina/o Undergraduate Student’s Sense of Belonging and Persistence at a Small Urban Northeastern College Committee: ____________________________________ Victor B. Sáenz, Supervisor ____________________________________ Larry D. Roper ____________________________________ Martha Menchaca ____________________________________ Patricia Somers ____________________________________ Mark A. Gooden Invisible no More: AfroLatina/o Undergraduate Student’s Sense of Belonging and Persistence at a Small Urban Northeastern College by Claudia Louis, B.A., B.S., M.A. Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Texas at Austin May 2016 Dedication Para mi papi que arriesgo su vida ves tras ves para darnos un mejor futuro. A mi mama por ser fuerte y arriesgadora. To my loving and supportive husband and my brilliant daughter Viktoria – who inspired this study and served as the catalyst for me to finish strong. I am grateful for my familia and those who invested in me along the way. I will forever be grateful. Finally, to the 12 study participants who shared their personal stories of pain, joy, and resilience – gracias! No tengo como pagarles. Acknowledgements Hay tanta gente a quien darle las gracias. Tantas personas que me apoyaron y me dieron palabras de inspiración cuando mas las necesitaba. Por miedo de no reconocer a todas las personas, no incluyo nombres – pero todos los que me han apoyado saben quien son. Esta meta nació de la necesidad de establecer nuestra voz, la voz indígena, inmigrante, trabajadora, y de color en una disciplina que nos ha mantenido excluidos. En muchas formas esta tesis es un labor de amor, de rebeldía, y una proclamación que los inmigrantes también tenemos metas y sueños. Si se pudo y se podrá! Le doy gracias a los educadores que me apoyaron pero también a los que me dijeron que no se iba poder. Es con un gran orgullo que les presento esta investigación como un marcador del comienzo de una carrera no precedida. Gracias inmensas a mi nena Viktoria que me aguanto tantos descuidos, tantas “espérate ahorita” y también momentos de frustración. Tu mi nena eres mi inspiración, mis fuerzas, y mi fortaleza. Te amo con cada célula de mi cuerpo. A mi marido David, mi amor, eres todo y mas de lo que me merezco. Gracias! Finalmente, a mis padres por darme vida e inculcarme los valores de amor propio y respeto a lo ajeno. v Invisible no More: AfroLatina/o Undergraduate Student’s Sense of Belonging and Persistence at a Small Urban Northeastern College by Claudia Louis, PhD. The University of Texas at Austin, 2016 SUPERVISOR: Victor B. Saenz Latina/os are the fastest growing demographic group in the United States but deterministic views of race and ethnicity have created a habitual way of assessing Latina/os in social science research – including higher education. This homogenous approach overlooks the racial and ethnic diversity of Latina/os who yield from 21 different countries from around the world. Thus, AfroLatina/o students have been overlooked in higher education research. This study utilized qualitative research methods and a phenomenological approach in order to gain an in-depth understanding of how AfroLatina/o college students at a small, commuter, urban, public institution in the Northeastern United States mold their racial and ethnic identities, how they negotiate in- group acceptance, and how the prior two impact their academic persistence. Three key findings emerged from this study: (1) AfroLatina/o student mold their own identities by reflecting on their experiences of pain and rejection, (2) their group membership is contingent on many factors not just phenotype or language, and (3) their academic persistence is impacted by their urban environment more than other factors. vi Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study.......................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................... 5 Not Biracial or Multiracial ....................................................................................... 8 Students of Color ..................................................................................................... 9 Purpose of the Study ......................................................................................................... 11 Research Question ............................................................................................................ 15 Brief Overview of Methodology and Procedures ............................................................. 17 Definition of Terms........................................................................................................... 19 Limitations and Delimitations ........................................................................................... 22 Significance of the Study .................................................................................................. 24 Chapter Summary ............................................................................................................. 26 Chapter 2: Review of the Literature ......................................................................................... 27 AfroLatina/o Students .......................................................................................................... 29 Social Construction of Race .............................................................................................. 32 Race in Latin America ....................................................................................................... 35 African Roots ........................................................................................................... 37 African Ancestry Denied ......................................................................................... 40 Whiteness as Desired ............................................................................................... 44 Skin Tone Bias .................................................................................................................... 45 Racism Endemic ...................................................................................................... 46 The United States Census .................................................................................................. 48 Racial Categorizations ....................................................................................................... 50 Hispanic Ethnicity .................................................................................................... 53 AfroLatina/os and Hispanic ..................................................................................... 55 Section Summary ..................................................................................................... 57 Social Psychology Models .................................................................................................. 59 Section Summary ..................................................................................................... 63 Sense of Belonging.............................................................................................................. 64 Sense of Belonging for Students of Color ............................................................... 67 Section Summary ..................................................................................................... 68 Persistence ......................................................................................................................... 69 Students of Color Persistence .................................................................................. 73 Section Summary ..................................................................................................... 75 Theoretical Frameworks .................................................................................................. 76 vii Colorism ................................................................................................................... 77 Borderlands Theory ................................................................................................. 79 Integrating the Two Theories ................................................................................... 81 Why not Intersectionality Framework ..................................................................... 81 Chapter Summary ............................................................................................................. 83 Chapter 3: Method ...................................................................................................................... 85 Qualitative Research ......................................................................................................... 86 Phenomenology........................................................................................................ 89 Research Design ............................................................................................................... 91 Site Selection .......................................................................................................... 92 Participant