Allies or Obstacles: Mentors and the Sociopolitical Development of Latinx Youth

Mentors, teachers, coaches, and other nonparental adults shape how Latinx immigrant-origin young people come to understand power, identity, and civic life, and their influence can cut in both directions. In this webinar, Dr. Wendy de los Reyes shares findings from a Constructivist Grounded Theory study with 23 Latinx emerging adults that identifies five ways caring adults support sociopolitical development, including emotional support, critical social analysis, modeling engagement, arranging opportunities for action, and instrumental support, alongside three ways adults can unintentionally hinder it through discouraging dialogue, restricting action, and manipulation. She will then introduce a new multidimensional measure built from these findings and discuss implications for mentoring practice, youth development, and intergenerational partnerships in social movements. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for reflecting on their own influence, a preview of the new measure, and concrete ideas for partnering with young people in this work.