FINAL PAPER PROPOSAL 1

Final Paper Proposal

Vanesa Sierra

Higher Education Administration & Leadership Program, California State University of Fresno

HEAL 223 (01) - Students in Higher Education

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As a Latina woman in higher education, I often tried to learn more about my cultural

background. I want to learn beyond the great food and music tied with the Latinx culture. I want

to learn about people who may go under the radar in the Latinx community. To be specific, those

who identify as Afro-Latinx. They share the richness of being African and Latin American, but

that doesn't translate the same in black and Latino communities. I want to dive deeper into

afro-Latinx's history, the prejudice they face, and how it affects their college experience. There is

also a lack of research that focuses on the afro-Latinx population that still needs to be done.

As a Latina-identifying woman, I don't have to prove to anyone if I should be part of the Latinx

community. I also don't have to meet specific requirements to be part of my community. I don't

think that we can pick and choose who can be Latinx, and the afro-Latinx students may often

find themselves struggling to identify with both cultures. In the Latinx culture, colorism is a big

issue, so is not speaking Spanish fluently. Some may not identify as black because of the racism

and discrimination tied to it. There is a lot of information that needs to be shared with those who

are part of both communities. I want to share any knowledge I gain within my community to help

educate others. People shouldn't feel like they don't belong to either culture be free to fully

identify with both. I would also like to discuss the progress we are making as a nation to accept

Afro-Latinx-identifying individuals. Some statistics demonstrate that more and more are

identifying as Afro-Latinx. As an aspiring higher education professional, I want to explore how

we can better understand and support Afro-Latinx students.

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https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/26/us/black-latinos-afro-latinos-experience/index.html