An Examination of Latinx/a/o Students’ Connections between Cultural Identities and Academic Success in a Midwestern Technical College: An Anti-Deficit Perspective

Abstract

Through an anti-deficit perspective, this study sought to discover connections between the cultural identities of Latinx/a/o students and their academic success at a Midwest technical college. Twelve participants representing various programs who attained an associate degree were interviewed to discover resources, both internal and external, utilized during their academic journey. Using hermeneutic phenomenology, data analysis employed both Heideggerian terminology and anti-deficit perspectives as frameworks to discover resources, in the form of cultural capital, utilized by the participants. Forms of cultural capital utilized to attain educational goals included resilience and tenacity, linguistic, navigational, enculturation, faith, aspirational, familismo, and social networks.