Latin@ Voices in Multicultural Education: From Invisibility to Visibility in Higher Education

In this unique, innovative, and visionary book, Latin@ Voices in Multicultural Education: From Invisibility to Visibility in Higher Education, Obiakor and Martinez highlight the visible voices of Latin@ teacher-scholars, professionals, and leaders. The authors agree with many Chican@ / Latin@ scholars (Cantú & Fránquiz, 2010) by using the term Latin@ for the book as an all-inclusive label instead of Latina/o to deemphasize the cisgendered o/a and uneven Hispanic terminology regarding individuals of Latin American heritage. These voices come from personal narratives of Latin@s in the United States (US) higher education. While their narratives expose different viewpoints and come from different personalities, institutions, and geographical locations, the complexities of their journeys have similar elements of true survival in unfamiliar Eurocentric terrains. In their respective chapters, they share their stories with veracity, acknowledge their remarkable contributions to their profession, and demonstrate that it is possible to be seen and heard in academic environments that have historically tried to silence their voices. Because of their pride, dedication, energy, resiliency, and courage, they are worthy of emulation; and all individuals, in spite of their culture, race, and national origin, can learn from them.

Clearly, this is a book for this day and age. It is intended for use by both undergraduate and graduate students, multicultural education scholars, faculty and staff in teacher preparation programs, higher education administrators, policy makers, and internal and external stakeholders in higher education. Hopefully, this book will motivate its readers to think and act differently, and to a large measure, shift their paradigms on how they treat and interact with individuals who appear different and atypical. Finally, this book will help everyone to value human differences; nurture multicultural dispositions and contexts; and navigate successfully through the mazes of bilingualism, multilingualism, multiculturalism, nationalism, and globalism.

James Martinez, Ph.D., is a tenure track Assistant Professor, Department of Middle, Secondary, Reading, and Deaf Education, Dewar College of Education and Human Services, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia. He was a teacher-leader and athletic coach for almost two decades in rural, inner-city and urban profile public schools. His teaching and research publications are in critical pedagogy, critical race theory, differentiated multicultural education instruction, youth gang risk factors, education innovation, immigration reform, and racial/ethnic inequality. Dr. Martinez has presented papers at national and international conferences and serves as a reviewer on reputable nationally and internationally refereed journals, including the editorial board of Multicultural Learning and Teaching (MLT).

Festus E. Obiakor, Ph.D., is Professor and former Department Head of Early Childhood and Special Education, Dewar College of Education, Valdosta State University. He is an internationally known teacher, scholar, and professional with more than 150 publications, including books and journal articles. He has presented papers at national and international levels. He is the current co-founding and co-executive editor of Multicultural Learning and Teaching (MLT), an internationally reputable refereed journal.