La Lucha Sigue: Examining the Underrepresentation of Latinas in Higher Education

According to the 2020 Census, the Latinx community is one of the largest and rapidly growing ethnic groups in the United States. However, they have been significantly underrepresented in higher education (Castellanos and Jones, 2003). This study specifically examines the complex factors that disadvantage Latinas in higher education. Recent government data shows Latinas’ situation in the United States improving, but progress is slow (Moslimani and Sahana, 2024). This study analyzes the experiences of Latinas in higher education using concepts from the following sociological theories: Critical Race Theory, Feminist Theory, Conflict Theory, and Intersectionality. With the support of scholarly sources, this research will closely examine the factors that hinder Latinx recruitment, retention and persistence including: cultural expectations, traditional gender roles, language barriers, socioeconomic status, academic performance, and lack of support or mentorship (Gandara and Contreras, 2009; Valencia, 2011). This research project also examines past and future trends to help provide a deeper look and understanding of the underrepresentation of Latinas in higher education.