Cultivate future generations of Kichwa/Quechua youth with strong cultural identities, community-building capabilities, and critical consciousness
Bridge the gap within existing college-access programs for Latine youth and Native American/ Alaskan Indian youth by collaborating with public institutions and local community-based organizations to better serve Indigenous Latine students
Build transnational solidarity by engaging Kichwa/Quechua youth both in diaspora and territory, generating opportunities for exchange and collaboration
Reclaim the power of research and data as a tool for Indigenous sovereignty by centering the needs and goals of our community in knowledge-production
Advocate for Critical Ethnic Studies and institutional support for the linguistic and cultural needs of Indigenous Latine migrants in K-12 and higher education policy
A form of working together as a community, where everyone collectively contributes towards a goal or solution. Rooted in reciprocity and solidarity, Makipurashpa ensures that no one is left behind. Through collective effort - working hand in hand - everyone thrives.
Andean principle of mutual exchange and reciprocity, Ranti-Ranti embodies the idea that what we give, we also receive. This balance strengthens relationships between and within families, communities, and movements, ensuring that resources, knowledge, and support circulate equitably among all.
A direct translation of family in Kichwa, Ayllu holds a profound significance beyond its literal meaning. Ayllu is the foundation of a healthy and interconnected community. It represents the idea that wellbeing begins with strong, supportive families and extends outward to create thriving, resilient movements. When an Ayllu is strong, the entire community flourishes.
An Andean understanding of space and time where past, present, and future coexist. For Indigenous youth, this concept reminds us that our future is deeply connected to our past, and that we must carry forward the teachings of our elders as we create new paths for our communities and future generations to come.
Across the U.S., the growing anti-DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) movement is actively
dismantling and
criminalizing crucial support systems and culturally relevant programming for historically
underrepresented
students in education. These changes disproportionately impact first-generation, low-income, Indigenous Latine
2,
and students of color, whose communities historically confront systemic economic, linguistic, and social
exclusion. Lack of institutional support directly affects students’ ethnic-racial identity development and sense
of belonging, thus influencing their academic and professional perceptions of success.
Now more than ever, we must work together to mobilize education as a tool for liberation by empowering youth to
embrace their cultural identities, construct critical analyses of systemic injustices, and become change-makers
for their communities.
From Quechua-Kichwa communities residing across the East Coast and Midwest, to Purépecha, Mixtec, and Zapotec communities across the West Coast, Indigenous Latine communities are growing in presence and visibility across the United States. The erasure of our histories, languages, and cultural identities within education systems contributes to a systemic knowledge gap that perpetuates cultural loss, mental health struggles, and socioeconomic marginalization.
Indigenous Latine youth face invisibilization within dominant conceptions of migration, Latinidad, and indigeneity. Currently, the presence and experiences of Indigenous Latine communities are absent from official census reports, and the generational, immigration, and socio-economic complexities remain largely unaddressed within state and federal discourses 3. Moreover, existing college access organizations, both local and national, often fail to recognize and integrate the distinct cultural and linguistic identities of Indigenous Latine students, limiting their opportunities for crucial resources that would enable their success in higher education.
Community-based organizations have long served a fundamental role in fostering identity, resilience, and collective empowerment among Indigenous Latine youth in the U.S. Groups such as SarUSA (Saraguro Residents in the USA), Kichwa Hatari, Quechua Project, and MICOP (Mixteco Indígena Community Organizing Project) are some of the few yet vital organizations that are actively providing spaces for youth to reconnect with their cultural roots, languages, and traditions while building networks of support. These organizations do more than preserve cultural heritage – they create pathways for leadership, advocacy, and meaningful engagement with the broader society for Indigenous Latine youth who navigate complex socio-cultural landscapes and disconnection from their territories and traditions.
As Indigenous Latine youth experience life in the U.S., they are actively bridging their transnational identities with the institutions that shape their futures. Many are forging strong relationships with universities, libraries, and local governments to advocate for greater representation and access to resources that reflect their histories and lived realities. These efforts not only expand opportunities for Indigenous Latine students but actively push for a more inclusive understanding of identity and belonging.
Simultaneously, Indigenous Latine youth are challenging western conventions of success that prioritize individual achievement and economic mobility. Instead, they uplift community-based, holistic cultural values that prioritize collective wellbeing, cultural continuity and interconnected growth. Whether through language revitalization initiatives, intergenerational storytelling, or grassroots organizing, they are reshaping how success is defined—one that honors both their ancestral knowledge and their aspirations for the future.
By strengthening connections between their heritage and their present realities, Indigenous Latine youth are cultivating dynamic, evolving identities that resist erasure. Their work fosters not only personal empowerment but also the resilience of entire communities, ensuring that Indigenous Latine voices continue to shape the cultural and educational landscapes of where they reside. Most importantly, it is a continuous declaration of ‘Kaypimi Kanchik’ – ‘We Are Here’ – affirming the presence and strength of Indigenous Latine communities in the United States.
1. Diaspora refers to a large group of people who share a cultural and regional origin but are living away from their traditional homeland.
2. We recognize Latine is a complicated term that some people do not identify with due to lived experiences with migration, class, gender, generational, and legal status. We are referring to a person of Mexican, Central American, South America and/or Caribbean origin or descent, and acknowledge the limitations of colonial naming of regions and peoples.
3. See Aceves et al, “Transforming Policy Standards to Promote Equity and Developmental Success Among Latinx Children and Youth” and “Indigenous Latinx Students: Visibility and Empowerment in the American School System” by Nadia Almasalkhi for more.
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