Latino Professionals in America

American Political Science Association's Latino Caucus Best Book Award Winner

Maria Chávez has given us a remarkable and compelling book that deftly entwines social science with courageous acts of personal storytelling. Manifesting a profoundly civic spirit and a keen sense for the resiliency in the midst of struggle modeled by the Latina/o pioneers, warriors, and leaders who populate the volume, Chávez shows us, in the memorable words of one participant, "where the power resides" to fight racism’s historical legacies and emboldened current tenor, alike. In abundant measure, this exploration of Latino professionals’ experiences-in-context illuminates the equity-enhancing policies, altered gender frameworks, and counterracialization strategies needed to wage and win that fight.
Paul Apostolidis, Professor and Judge & Mrs. Timothy A. Paul Chair of Political Science, Whitman College, and author The Fight for Time: Migrant Day Laborers and the Politics of Precarity (Oxford, 2019)

Dr. Chávez writes a rich and deeply personal account of the nuances, idiosyncrasies and challenges Latinos encounter while making their way to professional careers, and the race-, class-, and gender-specific obstacles that meet them once attaining coveted professional positions. Her book demonstrates that a combination of targeted equity-enhancing public policies and mentors is what makes all the difference in whether one can receive an education and become an active, productive, and contributing member of society. Accessible, informative and insightful—it is a must-read for all community members, professionals, students, faculty, and anyone interested in promoting equity, inclusion and social justice in the world.
Jerry Flores, PhD, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Toronto

Our ability to understand the successful pathways to social and professional mobility is crucial if we are to fulfill the great potential of our community. Maria Chávez' fascinating book is an important presentation of the, often painful, narratives of success within our community that is often shrouded in myth.
Stephen Nuño, Chair and Associate Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Northern Arizona University

Maria Chávez has given us a remarkable and compelling book that deftly entwines social science with courageous acts of personal storytelling. Manifesting a profoundly civic spirit and a keen sense for the resiliency in the midst of struggle modeled by the Latina/o pioneers, warriors, and leaders who populate the volume, Chávez shows us, in the memorable words of one participant, "where the power resides" to fight racism’s historical legacies and emboldened current tenor, alike. In abundant measure, this exploration of Latino professionals’ experiences-in-context illuminates the equity-enhancing policies, altered gender frameworks, and counter-racialization strategies needed to wage and win that fight.
Paul Apostolidis, Associate Professorial Lecturer, Government Department, London School of Economics, and author of The Fight for Time: Migrant Day Laborers and the Politics of Precarity (Oxford, 2019)

Dr. Chávez writes a rich and deeply personal account of the nuances, idiosyncrasies, and challenges Latinos encounter while making their way to professional careers, and the race-, class-, and gender-specific obstacles that meet them once attaining coveted professional positions. Her book demonstrates that a combination of targeted equity-enhancing public policies and mentors is what makes all the difference in whether one can receive an education and become an active, productive, and contributing member of society. Accessible, informative, and insightful—it is a must-read for all community members, professionals, students, faculty, and anyone interested in promoting equity, inclusion, and social justice in the world.
Jerry Flores, PhD, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Toronto

Our ability to understand the successful pathways to social and professional mobility is crucial if we are to fulfill the great potential of our community. Maria Chávez's fascinating book is an important presentation of the often painful narratives of success within our community that is often shrouded in myth.
Stephen A. Nuño, PhD, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Politics and International Affairs, Northern Arizona University

Given its subject matter, this book is especially valuable for its practicality, based on insights emerging from the auto-ethnographic method Chavez deploys. The personal stories Chavez shares, combined with her interviews of other first-generation Latino professionals, offer insights to a reality that many, including second-generation Latino profes­sionals, may never experience.
Juan Carlos Huerta, in The Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics (2019)