Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Journal

California’s Indígena population (indigenous people who identify with origin communities in Mesoamerica) has grown over the last 70 years, especially during the 1990s. Simultaneously, the number of youth that have enrolled in the public-school system has increased. However, these youth are often not welcomed and instead experience racial microaggressions within schools that alienate and encourage them to assimilate while abandoning their culture. I will explore the history of displacement of Indígena youth and their interactions in schools. I will discuss a selection of Indígena youth experiences in the education system, while critically analyzing the implicit biases of those around them.