This research examines conocimiento as a decolonial framework for understanding identity, healing, and liberation within Chicana/o/x communities and the collective beyond. Drawing on Gloria Anzaldúa’s theorization of conocimiento and scholarship by Jaime‑Díaz, Méndez Negrete, and others, this study argues that conocimiento is more than self‑awareness; it is knowledge of self, place, and structure that emerges through critical engagement with the historical and ongoing forces that shape identity. When individuals recognize the coloniality embedded within their lived experiences, self‑knowledge becomes decolonial knowledge, creating the conditions for a consciousness oriented toward collective liberation. Using testimonio and personal narrative as methodological approaches, this project traces la historia de mi familia—histories of origin, language, faith, education, and labor across Southern Colorado, New Mexico, and México. Through genealogical research, oral histories, and critical reflection, I explore how ancestral memory, linguistic loss, migration, working‑class labor, and Western educational experiences contribute to the formation of conocimiento. This work contributes to emerging conocimiento scholarship by demonstrating how personal and familial narratives operate as sites of theory‑making and decolonial inquiry. I argue for integrating conocimiento as a pedagogical framework within academic institutions—one in which lived experience, ancestral knowledge, and community memory are recognized as legitimate sources of learning. Such an approach fosters critical consciousness, belonging, and celebration of comunidad, affirming the transformative power of conocimiento as a pathway to healing and collective liberation. Soy porque somos—I am who I am because of who we are.

Since 2010, the Latino/e/x population in Northfield—a small, rural city located in rural Rice County, Minnesota—has doubled in size. Despite representing 13.87 percent of the Northfield narrative, there is a lack of demand for research and documentation of those voices, which, as a result, creates discrepancies in the notion of Latinidad in Minnesota. The city is home to vibrant communities from Colombia, Central America, and, in particular, Mexico’s state of Veracruz. There is currently limited research conducted on Latinidad in Minnesota, especially in rural areas, in comparison to the metropolitan Minneapolis region. As such, the project aimed to document and analyze the stories of the Northfield Latine community in an ethical manner that not only disclosed the systemic issues they faced but also amplified the resilience and initiatives already in place. To ensure ethical research, a community-engaged learning (CEL) framework guided the project design, recording methods, participant interviews, legal considerations, and findings dissemination. The project’s findings were disseminated on a publicly available website that was also advertised through a collaborative event with the Northfield Public Library, so that all could join and see personal stories from the Latine community. The initial steps taken during this project aim to expand perceptions of Latinidad to include Indigenous Latine communities as they too are under-researched and frequently ignored despite the cultures and initiatives that celebrate traditional heritage from the Peruvian and Ecuadorian Andes.

In this project I highlight the importance of public school literature by reviewing the curriculum for students in grades Kindergarten through Third in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, or SBUSD. By noting the literature and reading trends in SBUSD, I emphasize the importance of culturally relevant reading materials as a method to facilitate student success in the public school system. As a result, this study employs qualitative research in elementary education settings. To assess student engagement and content representation for students, I review and synthesize data to identify gaps in the curriculum. After a methodological review, I apply different forms of textual analysis to reveal patterns of learning and gaps in the SBUSD curriculum. I present key theoretical and methodological frameworks to guide my research, as well as the initial results of applying that framework to a sample of the curriculum. I seek to understand the representation and possible impacts of reading materials on long term student success in SBUSD through empirical research on literacy. I analyze data through document analysis. Several pieces of literature form the larger portion of my data collection, which is pulled from the readings that students use to form their reading skills. As a result, I ask the following questions. What are the effects of culturally relevant reading materials for students in the public school system? What are the impacts of culturally relevant reading materials on student learning in SBUSD?