Introduction

In this chapter we use mascaras, trenzas, y greñas to provide the impetus for how we use and guide this book, as all of the contributors use the personal to understand concepts, theories, and methods related to the educational experiences of Latinx/a/o student populations in higher education. Using the work of Montoya (1994), readers of this edited volume should engage mascaras, trenzas, y greñas as connecting stories throughout every chapter that “refashion personal and collective identity” for Latinx/a/o students in higher education (p. 27). In this edited volume, we approach “education” broadly in that “education” can take place in formal and informal spaces, as our scholarship is not monolithic nor unilateral. This edited volume provides a guide for scholars, practitioners, and students to help advance, understand, and promote the success of Latinx/a/o student populations in higher education.