Abstract
This qualitative study focused on the experiences of Chicana/Latina high school leaders and the professional support mechanisms required to promote their recruitment, retention, and advancement. In response to enduring underrepresentation and marginalization of Chicana/Latina educational leaders, which is most pronounced in secondary education, this research produced explicit recommendations for future research and praxis. Using body mapping and Chicana/Latina feminista pláticas, this study captured the nature of experiences, lack of professional mentorship, and prioritized elements of support reported by four Chicana/Latina high school administrators. I conducted a total of four sessions, one with each leader. I subsequently coded and analyzed the artifacts from the data collection phase of the study. Artifacts included questionnaire responses, body map visuals, plática transcripts, and researcher memos. Findings revealed that the Chicana/Latina high school leaders endured challenging experiences with limited or non-existent professional support. Furthermore, all four leaders cited lack of intentionality as the barrier to meaningful support mechanisms in professional spaces and emphasized four key concepts that are critical to Chicana/Latina mentorship: competence, confidence, community, and connections.
Keywords: Chicana/Latina feminista pláticas, body mapping, Chicana/Latina high schoolleaders, professional support mechanisms, mentorship