Book Announcement by Adam J. Rodríguez (USA)
In Know That You Are Worthy: Stories from First-Generation College Graduates, 31 alumni who were the first in their family to obtain a college degree share their experiences in college. These stories, edited by Adam J. Rodríguez and featuring several chapters he has authored, illuminate how the struggles of first-generation students are primarily due to a combination of multiple social inequities that are ignored, reinforced and perpetuated by exclusive college systems.
In this Rowman & Littlefield title, the authors speak directly to current and future first-generation students, offering tips and advice for success along with powerful words of encouragement in their emotionally rich narratives. College faculty and staff are challenged to shift their perspectives from viewing these students from a deficit lens or attempting to make them more like continuing-generation students, to instead having deeply honest confrontations with the pedagogies and structures of college, which are frequently so ingrained that they are invisible, and which cater to continuing-generation students, who are often predominantly white, middle- and upper-class. Colleges can create a more equitable system in which universities are enriched by the wisdom, experiences and talents of first-generation students while promoting a generative culture for all students.
Adam J. Rodríguez, Psy.D. is a first-generation college graduate and psychoanalytic psychologist. He is adjunct faculty at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR and a board member of Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN). In his practice and scholarly work, Dr. Rodríguez is interested in the study of first-generation college students, multiracial identities, the intersection of race/ethnicity and class, and the connections between music and clinical work.
Adam J. Rodríguez, Psy.D.
Portland, Oregon, USA
Email Adam Rodriquez
www.dradamrodriguez.com