Bordered Writers: Latinx Identities and Literacy Practices at Hispanic-Serving Institutions

"Bordered Writers" explores how writing program administrators and faculty at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) are transforming the teaching of writing to be more inclusive and foster Latinx student success. Like its 2007 predecessor, "Teaching Writing with Latino/a Students", this collection contributes to ongoing conversations in writing studies about multicultural pedagogy and curriculum, linguistic diversity, and supporting students of color, while focusing further attention on the specific experiences and strategies of students and faculty at HSIs. Although members of Latinx communities comprise the largest underrepresented minority group in the nation, the needs and strengths of Latinx writers in college classrooms are seldom addressed. "Bordered Writers" thus helps to fill a critical gap, giving voice to past and present Latinx scholars, rhetoricians, and students, both in academic essays and in personal "testimonios", in four pivotal areas: developmental English and bridge programs, first-year writing, professional and technical writing, and writing centers and mentored writing. Across contributions, the collection strives to connect all bordered writers and educators, making higher education today not only stronger but also more representative of the nation's population. After a foreword, "Celebrating Bordered Writers," by Cristina Kirklighter, the following chapters are presented: (1) Introduction (Isabel Baca, Yndalecio Isaac Hinojosa, and Susan Wolff Murphy); (2) "Testimonio" 1: A Family "Testimonio en Confianza": Becoming "Pocho" (Steven Alvarez); (3) Translingualism and ALP: A Rhetorical Model for Bordered Latinx Writers (Lucas Corcoran and Caroline Wilkinson); (4) Developmental Instructors in the Contact Zone: Perspectives from Hispanic-Serving Community Colleges (Erin Doran); (5) "One Foot on the Bridge and One Foot off the Bridge": Navigating the Geographies of Access and Rhetorical Education at an HIS (Jens Lloyd); (6) "Testimonio" 2: Finding Anzaldua: A West Texas "Testimonio" (Christine Garcia); (7) Rhetorical Tools in Chicanx Thought: Political and Ethnic Inquiry for Composition Classrooms (Yndalecio Isaac Hinojosa and Candace de León-Zepeda); (8) "Familismo Teaching": A Pedagogy for Promoting Student Motivation and College Success (Yemin Sánchez, Nicole Nicholson, and Marcela Hebbard); (9) Teaching with Bordered Writers: Reconstructing Narratives of Difference, Mobility, and Translingualism (Beatrice Mendez Newman and Romeo García); (10) "Testimonio" 3: Inhabiting the Border (Heather Lang); (11) Hispanic-Serving Institution as Programmatic Invention: Identifying Learning Objectives for HSI Writing Programs (Kendall Leon and Aydé Enríquez-Loya) (12) Teaching Technical Communication on the Mexico/U.S. Border: A Brief Case Study (Laura Gonzales); (13) "Testimonio" 4: English, "Español", or "Los Dos" (Isabel Baca) (14) On Longing and Belonging: Latinas in the Writing Center (Nancy Alvarez); (15) Mentored Writing at a Hispanic-Serving Institution: Improving Student Facility with Scientific Discourse (Heather M. Falconer); and (16) "Testimonio" 5:The Invisibility of a Lack of Privilege and the Homelessness of a First-Generation Latina Student in Higher Education (Kaylee Cruz).