Raza Womyn—Making it Safe to be Queer: Student Organizations as Retention Tools in Higher Education

Abstract

Latinas in higher education often encounter hostile or alienating campus climates. Many Latinas come from historically marginalized communities with limited access to the university, and they encounter various forms of discrimination on and off campus. Using a participatory action research paradigm, this article presents the experiences of Chicana/Latina student activists engaged in multidimensional struggle against homophobia, racism, classism, and sexism. This article illustrates that Raza Womyn, a Chicana/Latina student organization at UCLA, serves as a social and academic counterspace within the institution that provides a safe and supportive space for its members while also educating them and providing the skills they need to fight for social justice. In particular, the members create a queer-friendly environment that does not exist in several other spaces that they occupy. Overall, Raza Womyn is a retention tool for marginalized women in higher education and provides the support and resources needed to navigate through the university and society.