Las Voces De Las Calles: Knowledge contained through lived experiences of formerly incarcerated Latina/o/x students

10:30am-12pm

Presenter: Melissa Abeyt

Session Type: Workshop

Topic: Identities and intersectionality

Description

Our presentation on formerly incarcerated and system impacted Latinx students will provide an overview of this population as it relates to mass incarceration and the school-to-prison pipeline. The presenters will discuss how education and reentry are critical for not only the Latinx impacted students but to their families and communities as well. Formerly incarcerated Latinx students have been disproportionately impacted by mass incarceration and the lack of educational access results in serious consequences for the Latinx communities through socioeconomic status, social mobility, workforce gains, and civic/political engagement (Abeyta, 2020). Our presentation seeks to provide resources and data to attendees for them to be equipped to advocate for a student population that is traditionally underrepresented and underserved.

Presenters

Dr. Melissa Abeyt
Assistant Professor
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

abeytamelissa@gmail.com

Dr. Melissa Abeyt (she/her/dra) is a mother, a partner, daughter, first-generation scholar and Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Her research revolves around using an anti-deficit lens that explores the experiences of formerly incarcerated students in higher education. She serves as the inaugural co-chair for the NASPA Formerly Incarcerated Students & System Impacted Families Knowledge Community. Prior to her transition to the professoriate she worked in student affairs in various roles both at community colleges and 4-year institutions. In addition to her research contributions, Dr. Abeyta is the founder and content creator for Academic Soul.

Joe Louis Hernandez

Joe Louis Hernandez is a formerly incarcerated doctoral student at Claremont Graduate University in the School of Education Studies. His research focuses on the strengths that formerly incarcerated students possess because of their lived experience with incarceration, gang membership, or addiction. At a young age, he got involved with drugs and the street lifestyle consisting of gangs, violence, and incarceration. Educationally Joe is a two-time high school dropout that was stuck in 10th grade for 3 years ultimately graduating from home studies. During his second time at Mtsac, he met his mentor Diana Felix who pushed him to aspire to transfer to a 4-year institution. Since returning to school Joe has earned his Associates degree, A Bachelor’s degree from CSULA, and a master’s degree from CSULB in Student Development in Higher Education where his thesis YOU ARE ABOUT TO WITNESS THE STRENGTH OF STREET KNOWLEDGE set off his research career.

Dr. Anacany Torres

Dr. Anacany Torres is a community college professional and recent doctoral graduate in the Educational Leadership program at California State University, Long Beach. Her dissertation research examines the support services available to formerly incarcerated students attending community colleges in California.

Oscar Duran

Oscar Duran is an academic advisor at San Diego State University. He recently completed his master’s degree at California State University, Long Beach in Counseling with an emphasis on Student Development in Higher Education. He serves as the NASPA Regional Representative for the NASPA Formerly Incarcerated Students & System Impacted Families Knowledge Community.