Latina/o students as agents of change: the influence of cultural assets and college experiences

Enhancing the civic engagement of Latina/os can promote the economic and political advancement of this racial/ethnic group. Employing a critical quantitative longitudinal design with data from UCLA’s Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP), this study examines the factors that influence Latina/o college students’ social agency, which represents values associated with civic engagement. The study draws from Critical Race Theory, including community cultural wealth. Multiple regression analyses indicate that cultural assets and Latina/os’ college experiences shape their commitment to social change. Specifically, Latina/o students draw from various forms of capital (aspirational and spiritual) as they engage in their college environment and experience marginalization and empowerment, which collectively influence their social agency. Also, findings suggest some differences within the monolithic Latina/o group. By understanding the factors that motivate Latina/o students’ social agency, colleges and universities can more effectively prepare these future change agents to reduce social, economic, and political inequities.