Lecture Series: What Is Latinx? And Who Is Latinx?

Dr. Cristobal Salinas spoke about What Is Latinx? and Who Is Latinx? Dr. Cristobal Salinas focused on how the categories of race, gender, and sexuality continue to be the site of analysis for many higher education researchers, effectively filling the void of intersectional approaches to student development and learning theory. Yet, we still struggle with terminology that honors Latinx/a/o students’ identities, let alone their intersections with systems of oppression. This presentation will engage in a dialogue about the importance of Latinx/a/o/* students’ identities and labels that have been (mis)used, (mis)interpreted, and have not been fully examined. The goal is to illuminate how the politics of naming social identities can perpetuate structures of power, and work toward transforming higher education through critical naming processes.