Most discussions of Latina/os and service-learning focus on Latina/o communities as the beneficiaries of university-sponsored programs (Oberg de la Garza 2014). While studies have mostly focused on racially white students including pre-service teachers who serve Latina/o communities to develop Spanish-language skills and perspectives on diversity, few studies focus on Latina/o students who engage in service-learning themselves (Oberg de la Garza 2014; for exceptions, see Kuh, et. al 2008; Robbins 2012; Teranishi 2007). In spite of its acknowledgement as a “best practice” for first generation, Latino college student retention, discussions of service learning opportunities for Latina/o students who engage with their communities and the impact it has on their personal and professional development remain scarce (Robbins 2012, Kuh, et. al 2008).
This panel will discuss the development of a hybrid research/service-learning project, U-LAMP, or the Unaccompanied Latin American Minor Project that provides Spanish-speaking first and second generation Latina/o immigrant college students who are interested in immigration issues the opportunity to authentically and directly support many of the over 8,000 unaccompanied minors who arrived to New York City in 2014-2015. Through funding from CUNY Service Corps and in collaboration with New York Law School and Safe Passage Project, these students assist unaccompanied minors, families and attorneys with the preparation of the youths' status adjustment, placement in proper educational programs and overall social support and integration.
This project addresses several urgent challenges facing the Latina/o community including a) the unaccompanied Central American minor “crisis” of summer 2014, b) a dearth of opportunities for Latina/o students to engage in paid, experiential learning, especially that which focuses on justice in and across their communities, and c) the underrepresentation of Latina/os in the legal profession. By addressing these challenges, Latina/o college students traverse multiple boundaries to not only provide significant support to New York City’s most vulnerable youths, unaccompanied Latin American minors in removal proceedings, but also to develop personal and professional skills that support their entries into the legal as well as other professions that provide support services to immigrants.
Panelists will discuss the following:
Professor José Luis Morín will provide an overview of Latina/os in the Legal Profession.
Professor Isabel Martínez will provide an overview of the issue of Latina/o college students and service-learning and how U-LAMP addresses this issue.
Student panelists will provide an overview of their training and responsibilities including providing support to unaccompanied minors, their families and pro-bono attorneys and law school students, designing and presenting age and culturally appropriate Know Your Rights presentations and videos and the design and population of our education and marketing tool, the U-LAMP website. Additionally, students will discuss their personal and professional development as members of this project which includes increases in self-efficacy, improved academic achievement and other positive changes in attitudes and skills.
