Employing Resistance and Resilience in Pursuing K-12 Schooling and Higher Education: Lived Experiences of Successful Female First-Generation Students of Color

Portnoi & Kwong, 2019 / Urban Education / March 2019


whos in first gen

Drawing upon standpoint theory and phenomenology, this study chronicles the lived experiences of 16 successful female first-generation students of color as they pursued K-12 schooling and accessed higher education. Findings indicate that a complex set of school, family, peer, and personal factors affected students’ lived experiences in their urban environments; three holistic student profiles illustrate the interconnectedness of these factors. Stories of successful female first-generation students of color demonstrate how they, despite facing numerous challenges, used resistance and resilience during their K-12 urban schooling and when accessing higher education.

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