The counter narrative: Reframing success of high achieving Black and Latino males in Los Angeles County

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THE COUNTER NARRATIVE
UCLA BLACK MALE INSTITUTE  Tyrone C. Howard, Ph.D & Associates
Reframing Success of High Achieving
Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Statement from Dr. Robert K. Ross
2 Statement from LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas
3 Statement from Distinguished Dean Marcelo Suarez-Orozco
4 Message from the Director Tyrone C. Howard, Ph.D.
6 INTRODUCTION
10 SECTION 1 BLACK AND LATINO MEN DEFINE
THEMSELVES AND SUCCESS
• Students’ Definitions of Success
12 SECTION II THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL:
PERSONNEL & ORGANIZATIONS
18 SECTION III HOME AS A SOURCE OF SUPPORT
20 SECTION IV THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY
24 SECTION V RECOMMENDATIONS
26 References
27 Participant Demographics
28 School Profiles and Demographics
RECOMMENDED CITATION FOR THIS REPORT:
Howard, T.C. & Associates (2017). The counter narrative: Reframing success of high achieving Black and Latino males
in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles: University of California, Los Angeles. UCLA Black Male Institute.
Photos in report by Rickie “Typo” Crouch
Report design by Robin Weisz Design
JANUARY 20172

On behalf of our Board of Directors and staff at the California Endowment, I
am pleased to convey our appreciation and admiration for the leadership and
work of Dr. Tyrone Howard in this report on high-achieving Black and Latino
males across our region. Those of us who occupy roles and positions of civic
leadership have a tendency to suffer from “deficit-attention disorder”—rather
than the syndrome of Attention-Deficit Disorder that is often ascribed to too
many of our young men: we hyper-focus on the deficits and “broken-ness”
plaguing these young people and fail to look under the hood of the success
stories emerging right under our noses. In this report, Dr. Howard has chosen
to do just that: recognizing the assets and jewels of success and leadership
exhibited by young men of color against incredible odds, and teasing out
and organizing the lessons to inform practice, policy, and the investment of
resources in the years ahead.
Thanks to you and your team, Dr. Howard, for illuminating the path of the work
needed to improve the opportunities for our young men of color. This report
represents an important development for the field.
STATEMENT FROM DR. ROBERT K. ROSS
PRESIDENT & CEO
THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
1THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County

It is obvious in some of the rhetoric from the 2016 presidential campaign
that negative stereotypes persist about young Black and Latino men despite
abundant evidence to the contrary.
This study, conducted with utmost professionalism by Dr. Tyrone Howard and
his staff, shines a light on success stories that have too often been omitted from
narratives about the Black and Latino experience.
By deepening our understanding of how boys and men of color overcome
poverty, marginalization, disparity in social safety nets, and institutionalized
racism, this study will enable us to chart a better course for future generations.
We must continue to build on proven pathways to success, and to help as many
people as possible embark on that journey — Black, Latino, or otherwise.
Promising programs, practices, and policies must be brought to the forefront,
not only locally but nationally.
It would be impossible for any one person, school district, business
organization, or government to address the myriad facets of this issue
singlehandedly. The effort will require a united front, a partnership that spans
across many sectors and jurisdictions.
The important research conducted by Dr. Howard and his team gives us a
worthy starting point, and I extend to them my gratitude and congratulations.
STATEMENT FROM MARK RIDLEYTHOMAS
SUPERVISOR, 2ND DISTRICT,
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
2JANUARY 2017

The Counter Narrative is the study we have been waiting for. Scholars, policy
makers, teachers, philanthropists, parents and students alike need to hear the
good news and fully take in the lessons learned. Tyrone Howard, a giant in our
field, masterfully pivots from risk to resilience. And the results are powerful
indeed. The Counter Narrative will become an indispensable statement for all
to ponder and, at the same time, a tool for moving the needle from fatalism
and despair to engagement and excellence.
The facts at stake are clear: California cannot remain the fifth largest economy
in the world without harvesting the talents, dreams, and ambitions of its
most-diverse-ever cohort of young students in history. Let me be clear, in our
minority majority state, where boys and girls of color are the fastest growing
sector of the child, adolescent, and emerging adult population, there is no
happy California future without a happy future for our young men of color.
Albert Camus, the great Algerian novelist, essayist, and winner of the Nobel
Prize, once said where there is no hope, “we have to invent it.” In these dystopic
times when black young men are felled with impunity and political leaders
routinely victimize Latino young men, the Counter Narrative is a beacon of
light. If you are in the business of inventing hope, I urge you to study the
Counter Narrative and learn its lessons.
— Marcelo M. Suárez-Orozco, the UCLA Wasserman Dean & Distinguished
Professor of Education is author, most recently, of Global Migration,
Diversity, and Civic Education: Improving Policy and Practice with James A.
Banks & Miriam Ben-Peretz. (New York, Teachers College Press, 2016).”
STATEMENT FROM DISTINGUISHED DEAN
MARCELO SUAREZOROZCO
3JANUARY 2017 THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Tyrone C. Howard, Ph.D.
Investing in young people is one of the most
important tasks that any society can undertake.
Taking the necessary steps to ensure that all young
people have the adequate support, skills, knowledge,
and dispositions to thrive in a democratic and diverse
society is essential in the 21st century. However, it
is imperative that we recognize that not all young
people start from the same place. Many have a
host of accumulated disadvantages brought about
through structural inequality, historical exclusion of
certain groups, poverty, racism, sexism, and a host of
other social toxins. Hence, it is even more crucial that
we as a society put forth concerted efforts to assist
those individuals who are most vulnerable in our
society. To that end, this report focuses on two of the
more disenfranchised groups in our society today—
Black and Latino young men. Black and Brown young
men continue to face a myriad of obstacles in their
quest to be successful contributing members of
society; and that is precisely why we focus on them
in this work.
Growing up as a young boy in Compton, I was fortunate
to grow up with many peers who possessed unbridled
talent, uncanny intellect, and incredible drive to be
successful in any domain possible. However, due to a
number of conditions, I witnessed far too many of them
fail to reach their full potential. It is painful to reflect on
the countless numbers of young men who fell prey to
many of the challenges that young men of color across
this nation face every day: undereducation, joblessness,
incarceration, hopelessness, and, for too many of them,
premature death. The famous abolitionist Frederick
Douglass once said that it is easier to build strong
children than to repair broken men. It is with that charge
that we put forth this effort. Our young men are in need
of the appropriate supports to see their development
occur in the most optimal set of environments, in
order for them to become viable contributors to their
families and communities. We must raise the bar on the
types of support that we afford our young men. I am a
firm believer that we are the product of other people’s
expectations. We must raise the bar of expectations so
that our young men expect to succeed because the
structures around them at home, in schools, and in their
neighborhoods demand and support their excellence.
This report is important given recent events across
the country involving Black and Brown males and law
enforcement. The deaths of a number of unarmed
young men such as Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown,
Ezell Ford, Laquan McDonald, Tamir Rice, Keith Scott,
Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and a number of
others have raised an impor tant need to help humanize
young Black men and other men of color in the eyes
of the wider society. By humanizing young Black and
Latino males and listening to their hopes, dreams,
and aspirations, the goal is to keep these young
men alive, honor their youthfulness, and provide the
environment to help them thrive and grow.
The report also seeks to stem the troubling tide
in the overincarceration of Black and Latino males
in this country. While juvenile incarceration has
declined over the past decade, the United States
still incarcerates over 54,000 youth a year, a
disproportionate number of them being young
Black and Latino males. Nationally, the U.S. spends
$88,000 per year to incarcerate a young person in a
state facility. In 2013, the California Youth Authority
reached an astounding high of $225,000 per year to
incarcerate youth (Bernstein, 2014). We also know
from data from the Youth First Initiative that youth
across all races commit crimes, but Black and Latino
youth are more likely than their White peers to be
convicted and incarcerated for comparable offenses.
This is one of the reasons that Black men are six times
as likely, and Latino men are three times as likely, to be
incarcerated as White men. These disturbing trends
must be disrupted, because over incarceration, along
with lack of attention to mental health issues, plays a
critical role in the significant numbers of homeless
men in cities and counties across the nation.
This report highlights young men who are the
products of high expectations. We take time to
shine a spotlight on the resilient, intelligent, and
caring young men across Los Angeles County.
This report takes an unapologetic stance in stating
that there are young men who are thriving in their
homes, taking on leadership roles in their schools,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are most grateful to the
generous support provided
by the Office of Los Angles
County Supervisor Mark
Ridley-Thomas and the
California Endowment, Dr. Bob
Ross and Charles Field for their
courage in investing in young
boys and men of color across
Los Angeles. It is not always
an easy thing to do, but it is
the right thing to do. We are
also grateful for the ongoing
support of Wasserman Dean
Marcelo Suarez-Orozco
and the Graduate School
of Education & Information
Studies at UCLA.
JANUARY 20174

and making a difference in their communities. This
report is not intended to be full of the doom and
gloom about what is wrong with young Black and
Latino men. To the contrary, we take the time to
center their voices, hear their stories, and listen to
their takeaways about how they have accomplished
what they are doing and the recommendations
that they offer on how to support other Black and
Latino young men just like them. We want to thank
you for taking the time to read this report. We are
grateful to the 200-plus young men who let us into
their lives, shared their successes, and provided
a different narrative, or what we refer to as “the
counter narrative” as opposed to the persistently
negative narratives that exist about boys and
young men of color in this country. Finally, we are
most appreciative of the generous support from
the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark
Ridley-Thomas and The California Endowment and
Dr. Bob Ross. They have both been tireless in their
efforts to support young men of color in the county
of Los Angeles and the state of California. This study
and report would not have been possible were it not
for their support. We hope that you find this report
informative, uplifting, refreshing, and inspiring.
Moreover, we hope that this report moves readers
to want to do something to support young people
across Los Angeles County. These young men
attribute their successes to people who invest
their time, talents, or resources in them. We hope
that after reading this report you feel compelled
to either continue doing the work that you do on
behalf of young people or start today to invest in
our future tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Tyrone C. Howard, Ph.D.
Professor
Associate Dean
Graduate School of Education & Information Studies
Director, Black Male Institute
University of California, Los Angeles
This report focuses on young Black and Latino boys across Los Angeles County,
but we want to be clear that by no means does this report seek to overlook,
dismiss, or minimize the challenges that young girls and women of color
face. A growing body of literature locally and nationally demonstrates the
increasing number of challenges that girls and women of color face in schools
and society (Evans-Winters, 2011). An examination of high school graduation
rates, suspensions and expulsions, and access to college demonstrates that
Black and Latina girls lag considerably behind their white and certain Asian
counterparts (Morris, 2016). Thus, interventions are needed to stem the tide for
these vulnerable populations. Kimberle Crenshaw in a report titled “Black girls
matter: Pushed out, over policed and under protected” states that there is a
need to examine the “racialized and gendered contours of the crisis” affecting
Black girls and other girls of color. Also, most disturbing is new data from the
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), that women are now the fastest growing
group of incarcerated individuals in the US. In 2010, more than 200,000
women were behind bars, most of them women of color. Latina women are
incarcerated nearly twice the rate of white women, and Black women are
locked up at four times the rate of White women (Guerino, et. al, 2011). The
social, emotional, family, and economic affects of these realities cannot be
overlooked, and while this report focuses on young men, we make a loud call
for similar interventions, studies, and reports which addresses solutions of
support for the most vulnerable women in our society. This report offers the
following references and reports for suggested reading on this topic.
RECOMMENDED READINGS ON GIRLS AND WOMEN OF COLOR
y Crenshaw, K., Ocen, P., & Nanda, J. (2015). Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out,
Overpoliced, and Underprotected.
y Collins, P. (2000). Black feminist thought : knowledge, consciousness, and
the politics of empowerment (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.
y Evans-Winters, V. E. (2011). Teaching Black girls: Resiliency in urban
classrooms. New York: Peter Lang.
y hooks, b. (1984). Feminist theory from margin to center. Boston, MA: South
End Press.
y Lorde, A. (1984). Sister outsider: Essays and speeches. Berkeley, CA:
Crossing Press.
y Morris, M. W. (2016). Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in
Schools. The New Press.
y Winn, M. T. (2011). Girl Time: Literacy, Justice, and the School-to-Prison
Pipeline. Teaching for Social Justice. Teachers College Press. 1234
Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027.
GIRLS MATTER TOO!
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 5

INTRODUCTION
Many scholars, practitioners, and policymakers
have documented the troubled and often
difficult plight of young African American and Latino
males (Carrillo, 2016; Conchas & Vigil, 2012; Harper et
al., 2014; Howard, 2014; Huerta, 2015; Milner, 2007;
Fergus, Noguera & Martin, 2014; Rios, 2011; Saenz &
Ponjuan, 2016). Countless accounts of these young
men have been framed around a plea for help, their
endangered status, their lack of social, academic,
and economic success or their over incarceration.
Needless to say, there are a myriad challenges that
African American and Latino male youth face in their
efforts to be self-supporting and life-sustaining.
However, the repeated development of a narrative
around their lack of success, their underachievement,
and their disenfranchisement only reifies in the
minds of many that these young men are in a state of
constant turmoil and distress.
The educational challenges faced by Black and
Latino males have been explored exhaustively,
well documented, and yet stubbornly chronic. On
virtually every indicator of academic achievement,
economic attainment, political participation, and
social adjustment, young Black and Latino males are
noticeably distinguished from other segments of
the U.S. population (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009; Schott
Foundation for Public Education, 2012). Within the
context of education, dismal patterns exist in urban,
suburban, and rural school districts throughout the
nation. They exist in public, public charter, private
and parochial schools as well. Nationally, Black and
Latino males are most likely to lag in reading and math
achievement at early ages and are more likely than any
other group to be suspended and expelled from school
(Fergus & Noguera, 2011). In many large, urban areas
dropout rates for Black and Latino males hover at or
near 50%, and as a result they are less likely to enroll in,
or graduate from, college than their White and Asian
peers (Schott Foundation for Public Education, 2012).
While there are a number of troubling issues
affecting Black and Latino males, there remains a
pressing need to tell a more complete story. This
complete story is centered on the idea that not all
Black and Latino males are struggling academically,
most are not involved in the judicial system, and
large numbers of them are thriving. It is crucial to
provide a counter narrative to the often-told story
about these young men being in constant crisis.
Hence, the goal of this project was to highlight the
success of Black and Latino males across Los Angeles
county. The objective was to offer an account that
is rarely seen and seldom conveyed: where these
young men are succeeding. The development of this
counter narrative is important on several levels: 1)
it shines light on a population that is rarely seen or
heard—high-achieving, community-contributing,
successful, well-adjusted Black and Latino young
men; 2) it helps identify people, programs, and
practices that these young men believe have made
a notable impact on their lives; and 3) it offers cases
of success that we should seek to replicate at the
city, county, state, and national level in order to
create more supportive and nurturing environments
for these young men. We used Harper’s (2014)
anti-deficit achievement framework for studying
the lives of these young men. In 2013, Harper and
associates (2014) embarked on a one of a kind study,
by examining the lives of 400 high-achieving Black
and Latino males in New York City, and were able
to uncover a number of supportive factors in their
schools and communities. One of the charges that
Harper and his associates made was a need for other
large cities to replicate this type of work to help
develop a national counter narrative around the lives
of Black and Latino males. We heed Harper’s call by
making Los Angeles the next city that identifies and
examines its successful Black and Latino males.
THE LOS ANGELES CONTEXT
Los Angeles County is the most populated county in
the United States; it is home to over 10 million residents
covering 4,083 square miles. The city’s racial, ethnic,
cultural, and linguistic makeup is among the most
diverse in the world. It is against this backdrop that this
study takes place: a county that is expansive, diverse,
ever changing, thriving for some, yet incredibly
difficult to navigate for others. The young men
highlighted in this study are part of the two largest
subgroups of students in Los Angeles County schools:
While there are
a number of
troubling issues
affecting Black
and Latino males,
there remains a
pressing need
to tell a more
complete story.
JANUARY 20176

Black and Latino youth. Moreover, they represent the
two groups who are woefully overrepresented in the
County’s juvenile detention centers. Among the data
on Black and Latino males are the following:
y Black and Latino males represent two of the largest
subgroups in the county of Los Angeles. There are
approximately 2.3 million youth in the county, and
Black and Latino males make up somewhat more
than 800,000 of these youth. Latino males make up
close to 727,000 youth in the county and Black males
make up slightly more than 83,000 (Kids Count,
2015). While these two groups make up close to 35%
of K-12 students across the county, the data on these
two groups has not always been the most promising.
y Blacks and Latinos make up the two largest groups
in foster care in Los Angeles County. Black and
Latino males are the two subgroups most likely to
remain in foster care and least likely to be adopted
(Kidsdata.org, 2015).
y One in three Black and Latino males live in poverty,
representing two of the highest rates of any youth
group, three times more than their Asian and White
counterparts.
y Black and Latino boys are more likely to be
suspended or expelled from school than their
White and Asian peers, missing valuable learning
time in the classroom.
y Black and Latino males constitute almost 80 percent
of youth in special education programs. Black boys
are 2.5 times less likely to be enrolled in gifted and
talented programs, even if their prior achievement
reflects the ability to succeed.
y Black (36%) and Latino (37%) males have the
lowest third-grade reading proficiency rates of any
students across the county. Third-grade reading
proficiency is often an important predictor of
future academic success.
y Black and Latino males have the lowest graduation
rates of any other subgroups in the county.
y Black and Latino males are two of the groups least
likely to be ready for college-level math classes.
y Black and Latino males are the two groups least
likely to be referred to or placed in gifted education,
Honors, or Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
Finding solutions to disrupt these troubling trends
involved an examination of three domains: 1)
explanations from the young men identifying home
factors that have contributed to their academic
success; 2) explanations of school practices and
people that contribute to their success; and 3)
identification of community based programs or
organizations that have been vital to their success. The
working hypothesis of this project is that the success
of Black and Latino males is due to support from
multiple sources, typically involving home, school,
and community working in concert to support young
men academically, socially, emotionally, and culturally.
COMMUNITY CULTURAL WEALTH:
CHALLENGING THE DEFICIT NARRATIVE
Many educational scholars have challenged deficit-
based narratives of people of color to rethink how
we best understand the lives of culturally and racially
diverse youth. One of the works that was most
influential in this study has been the research of
educational scholar Tara Yosso. Debunking culture
and cultural capital as being monolithic and more
consistent with the values, traditions, and customs
of middle-class, mainstream individuals and actors,
Yosso (2005) contends that for many people of color,
culture and capital manifests itself in unique, robust,
and dynamic ways that are often not captured in
mainstream depictions. Yosso’s Community Cultural
Wealth model includes six types of cultural capital
that she recommends educators consider in framing
their interactions with students and enhancing
their opportunities to learn. She contends that this
framework disrupts the anti-deficit-based depictions
of people of color who are often viewed by many in
the mainstream as either lacking cultural capital, or
having the wrong type of cultural capital to succeed
in schools and society. She argues that culturally
and racially diverse people have cultural capital that
is on par with other forms of culture, but just is not
recognized or respected in learning settings.
The six forms of cultural capital that Yosso identifies—
aspirational, linguistic, familial, social, navigational,
and resistance—are used as a framing for how we
think about success for this study. These approaches
to culture are important because Yosso informs
us that the ways of knowing, ways of thinking,
communicating, and expressing vary for diverse
populations. Consequently, efforts to fit all students
into narrowly defined constructs of culture will always
leave some individuals in the margins and viewed
as either not having culture or having a deviant or
pathological culture. The authors believe the same
can be said for Black and Latino males where issues
of success are concerned. We believe that young
I am a second
year student
at UCLA now.
Resources such
as Upward
Bound, AP
classes, TRiO
programs, and
even one-on-
one counselor
attention. I also
took it upon
myself to look
for the help I
needed, and tried
to get as involved
as possible!
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 7

men in schools across the country employ successful
approaches to their school, home, and community
work yet they are grossly overlooked, misunderstood,
or not recognized. In this study, we hear more about
their successes in their words. They document how
they define success, what it looks like in their worlds,
and by whom and how it is supported.
REDEFINING SUCCESS
As Yosso challenges traditional definitions of cultural
capital, in this work we seek to do the same with how
we conceptualize “success.” One of the concerns
in the professional literature in education has been
that success has frequently been defined in narrow
terms such as grade point average, test scores, and
performance in schools (e.g., quiet, compliant, and
non-threatening behavior). While such areas are
important to the education context, we feel that they
do not capture the full spectrum of the educational and
social experiences of many students, and as a result,
many Black and Latino males are frequently left outside
of the narrow confines of success, despite behaving in
ways that are laudable outside their classrooms.
One of the anchoring questions for this study and
report was to better understand how Black and Latino
males define success. Furthermore, it is important to
understand who are instrumental in assisting these
students garner their success. In their responses we
discovered young men who assisted their peers,
demonstrated leadership, and thrived in a multitude
of extracurricular activities, as well as putting forth
consistent efforts to be the best that they could be,
both academically and socially within their respective
schools. However, they did not limit their definitions
of success to the context of schools. Many of the
young men discussed their willingness to support
their mothers and grandmothers, assist with younger
siblings, or help elderly citizens in their neighborhoods.
These humanizing aspects of young Black and Latino
males are desperately needed in order to capture
the full aspects of their humanity and identity that
are often missing from mainstream portrayals of
them. Furthermore this report seeks to challenge
conventional depictions of Black and Latino males that
frequently portray them as menaces to society, violent,
pathological, and criminal minded. This report includes
rich data that portrays insightful, caring, loving, and
empathetic accounts of young men who are successful
by many measures, some captured and some not by
traditional school criteria. So here, success is redefined
and reimagined in a manner that examines success in
multiple contexts: the school, home, and community.
SEQUENCE OF REPORT
This report will be broken down into four parts.
In the first section we will highlight the research
methods used to collect data for this study, as well
as introducing the school sites the young men were
selected from. In the second section the young men’s
definitions of success are outlined. We will provide
excerpts from the students’ voices to capture how
they viewed success. In the third section of the report
we will highlight the findings from the participants.
Here you will read comments and direct quotes
from the young men as they discussed success in
their homes, schools, and communities. The final
section of the report will offer recommendations for
school practitioners and leaders, elected officials,
and concerned community members about how to
replicate success for more young men of color. This
section will offer tangible approaches based on the
data provided by the young men from this study.
DATA COLLECTION
The primary data collection modes for this project
included in-depth interviews. Before conducting any
data collection, the principal investigator secured
human subjects’ clearance from UCLA’s Institutional
Review Board committee. All students’ names used in
this report are pseudonyms.
Interview Protocol and Participants
The protocol for interviewing participants focused
on capturing their understanding of success and the
attributions that they give to their life circumstances.
The research team conducted in-depth interviews and
focus groups with a sample of 235 Black and Latino males
between the ages of 14–18 across seven high schools.
It is important to note that prior to data collection, the
research team brainstormed assets based indicators
of Black and Latino success. The following three
characteristics were identified and used to select a
“successful student”: 1) grade point average above 2.5,
and also non-traditional factors, such as 2) talent or
leadership, or 3) resilience, that assisted their success.
Selecting participants for the study was based on each
of the young men meeting the following criteria:
y Students identified as Black, Latino, or both, and male
y Students had sophomore, junior, or senior status in
their high school at the time of the study
This report
includes rich data
that portrays
insightful, caring,
and empathetic
accounts of
young men who
are successful by
many accounts,
some captured,
and some not, by
traditional school
accounts.
JANUARY 20178

y Were recommended by teacher or administrator as
student demonstrating one of three characteristics
u
Grade point average of 2.5 or higher
u
Talent or leadership
u
Resilience
y Had a willingness to participate in interviews
y Attended a school in Los Angeles County
Analysis
Each interview was audio recorded and subsequently
transcribed—this project produced hundreds
of single-spaced pages of verbatim interview
transcripts. Transcripts were uploaded to a qualitative
data analysis software program, Dedoose, which
is a cross-platform application used for analyzing
qualitative and mixed methods research.
Excerpts are independently defined objects in
Dedoose, meaning that selections of data were
marked and listed separately and need not be
coded in order to identify them as meaningful.
Additionally, excerpts were reviewed centrally and
listed in different ways (e.g., according to code
application, descriptor field, etc.). Data also were
viewed independently, lifted out of source context,
or located within source context, as team members
manually performed line-by-line readings of the text
and identified prevalent themes and reoccurring
topics, ultimately attaching key words, terms, and
phrases that represented recurring patterns in the
data. Before the coding process began, standardized
statistical methods within the software were used to
measure and strengthen inter-rater reliability.
THE RESEARCH TEAM
The research process began with the construction of
an 7-member research team that included Dr. Tyrone
Howard from UCLA; Dr. LaMont Terry from Occidental
College; five doctoral students from the UCLA Graduate
School of Education & Information Studies, Brian
Woodward, Oscar Navarro (who recently earned his
Ph.D. and is now on faculty at California Polytechnic
State University, San Luis Obispo), Kenjus T. Watson,
Bianca N. Haro, and Adrian H. Huerta; and the assistance
of four UCLA undergraduate students. The team began
meeting regularly during the 2014–2015 academic year
to discuss and develop the overarching design of the
study, research questions, the theoretical framing of
the study, and design research instruments. The team
also discussed how our own educational experiences
as young men and women of color influenced how we
thought about school, how we defined success, the
crucial people in our lives, and how those circumstances
shaped us all. These early conversations were
instrumental in thinking about a design that did not rely
solely on traditional measures of success and “good”
behavior. These dialogues were often quite informative
as they demonstrated the diverse paths that we each
experienced on our journey to educational “success.”
Moreover, these dialogues also left us all pondering
the fates of peers of ours who demonstrated similar or
superior intellect, yet who were not offered the same
opportunities as we were. Needless to say, the wasted
potential was not lost on us as we engaged in this work.
This report would not be possible without the countless
hours invested by the research team.
SCHOOL SITES
The schools that were selected for this study were
chosen based on several criteria. Schools were selected
based on having a significant African American and
Latino population. Finding schools with a significant
African American student body proved to be
difficult, due to their declining presence in schools
across Los Angeles County. We were also seeking to
identify public schools that were open to us talking
to students about their school context. Finally, we
were looking for schools where we had existing
relationships in working with staff, students, and
families regarding student support. We are most
grateful to the participating school sites. Read school
profiles and demographics on page 28.
Long
Beach
Poly
King Drew
Medical
Magnet
George
Washington
Preparatory
Social
Justice
Humanitas
Pasadena
Blair
Westchester
Enriched
Sciences
Magnet
Latino 21 22 19 42 9
Black 13 20 12 0 3 19
Mixed Race 14 1 1 1 0 4
Totals: 48 43 32 43 12 23 201
PARTICIPATING SCHOOL SITES
My success is
directly tied
to dedicated
teachers… they
continuously
encouraged me
to go to college…
Programs like
Vice Provost
Initiative for
PreCollege
Scholars (VIPS)
showed me how
college classes
were going to
be like and they
offered me
scholarships.
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 9

PARTICIPANT DEMOGRAPHICS
AVERAGE GPA FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS: 3.36
GRAMMAR SCHOOL
SOME HIGH SCHOOL
HIGH SCHOOL OR EQUIVALENT
SOME COLLEGE
ENTHNICITY:
PRIMARY LANGUAGE
SPOKEN AT HOME:
PARENT’S HIGHEST LEVEL
OF EDUCATION
AP/HONORS
COURSES COMPLETED
GPA:
AGE:
BLACK
MIXED
16
YEARS OLD 17
YEARS OLD 18
YEARS OLD
UNKNOWN
OTHER
201
TOTAL
21
BILINGUAL
IGBO
10
1
67 113 22
68 74
31
6
LATINO
70
SPANISH
121
ENGLISH
2.02.5
03
12
2.63.0 3.13.5
44 9
24
6
48
34
44
21
5
19
74
3.5+
62 UNKNOWN
OTHER
BACHELOR’S
MASTER’S
DOCTORALPROFESSIONAL
OTHERUNKNOWN
136
46 7+
44 21
15
YEARS OLD
JANUARY 201710

SECTION I
Black and Latino Men Define Themselves and Success
SELFDESCRIPTION
Prior to examining successes achieved within the
home, school, and the various communities in which
the participants resided, the research team deemed
it necessary to learn how the young men described
themselves. Too often the academic literature is replete
with “doom and gloom” statistics and characterizations
that often shape not only how others perceive these
young men, but how they perceive themselves. While
it is important to investigate the people, programs, and
policies that had a positive impact on their success, it is
just as valuable to begin this report by allowing these
young men the rare opportunity to describe who they
are in their own words. While the report reveals that
there is great diversity in how Black and Latino males
define and operationalize factors contributing to their
success both within and outside of school, there was
an equally diverse number of adjectives used were
identified by the participants to describe who they
were. Below is a frequency chart detailing the various
words the participants offered to describe themselves.
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 11

When asked to describe themselves, the majority of
participants provided one-word responses rather
than extended answers, making the use of a table
appropriate. The table reveals that the participants
overwhelmingly offered more positive than negative
self-descriptive adjectives. The adjective most
frequently given by the participants to describe
themselves was “hardworking.” Other words
that were provided often included “determined,”
“outgoing,” “motivated,” “funny,” and “being a leader.”
Alternatively there were four words provided by the
participants that can be stereotypically categorized
as negative: “lazy,” “timid,” “cocky,” and “taking
short cuts.” When asked to “describe yourself,” the
participants offered a variety of adjectives. Again,
however, the majority of participants saw themselves
as hard workers, evidenced by the following quotes:
Probably hard working. I never give up. If I start
something then I got to finish it
I’m a hard worker. I strive to be the best at
something
Hard working, diligent and dedicated
Hard working like dedicated to what I want to do
The participants noted that their success was
contingent on their own individual merit. Moreover,
in their opinion it is their work ethic that separates
themselves from their peers.
An additional adjective that the Black and Latino
males used regularly to describe themselves was
“determined.” Anthony stated:
I see myself as determined because even
through adversity at home, my community, and
school I feel that I can get it done if I want to
and I have that drive. Other than determined
I feel I’m optimistic because a lot of people
see the negative here (at Washington HS) and
I don’t really look at the negative I see the
positive and in what I can do and what I will do
and what I have done.
In the quote Anthony expressed how being
determined was critical to his success. There is an
acknowledgement that despite difficulties these
young men may encounter in various spaces,
having determination helps to combat hardships.
Furthermore the participants also explained that
despite negative perceptions placed on them and
their respective communities and schools, their
solution was to have a positive outlook.
A number of the participants described themselves
as team players and having an ability to forge
productive relationships, which was believed to be
salient when garnering success. Jalil commented:
I build pretty good relationships with my friends.
We talk, we have fun but either way we still get
our work done. Even if we talk, we get our work
done by the end of class or we get whatever they
assign us done before the due date. So I feel like
we balance out fun with work too.
The quote demonstrated that developing relationships
with peers could prove advantageous both academically
and socially.
The adjectives put forth by the Black and Latino
males not only demonstrate the diversity of thinking
amongst these young men, but affirm how self aware
they are, while challenging stereotypes of who and
what these students represent.
The first step toward redefining success related to
Black and Latino males is to offer opportunities for
these young men to discuss who they are. Adjectives
such as hardworking, determined, and having
the ability to work with others were just a few
descriptors offered by the participants. These young
men expressed an inherent belief in their ability
to achieve success in their schools, homes, and
communities through persistent effort. Moreover
the participants saw themselves as instrumental
figures willing to lend a hand to loved ones in times
of need, while seeking similar support and guidance
in their own endeavors. Thus, by simply describing to
the research team who they were, these young men
were challenging deficit notions of Black and Latino
youth while concurrently validating their worth.
STUDENTS’ DEFINITIONS OF SUCCESS
Success is a term that has multiple definitions and
interpretations. The term is typically associated
with the accomplishment of an aim or purpose, or
connected to favorable termination of attempts or
endeavors; in short, the accomplishment of one’s
goals. Developing an understanding of how Black
and Latino male high school students define success
is one of the primary objectives of this study. It is
important to understand these young men’s drive
and motivation to succeed in a society where their
These
humanizing
aspects of
young Black and
Latino males
are desperately
needed in order
to capture the
full aspects of
their humanity
and identity that
are often missing
from mainstream
portrayals of
them.
JANUARY 201712

success is often not expected or not viewed in
abundance. Given that this study focused on young
men who were doing well in their schools, homes, and
communities, they were deemed either successful
or high-achieving individuals by school personnel.
To identify the young men in this report we went
to schools and asked teachers, administrators, and
staff to nominate young men who they believed fit
one of these two terms. Many of the young men
were surprised that someone thought of them as
successful. Some were confused as to how they were
viewed in such a light, while others believed that they
were most deserving of such labels. Identifying the
definitions and descriptions offered by these young
men about success is critical for several reasons.
The self-described definitions are not necessarily
ones imposed on them from adults but are more
organically derived; second, success is not only
limited to what students do in the classroom. By
broadening the scope to other places that students
occupy with high frequency we can highlight the ways
in which these young men are making a difference
in their homes and communities. Finally, these self-
described notions of success allow the voices of
students to be centered, empowered, and validated
as perspectives and opinions that matter. Far too
often, young people’s voices are muted, overlooked,
or disregarded in discourses about them, their hopes,
dreams, and aspirations. To disrupt these actions and
anchoring what students think matters most in their
schools, homes, and communities we can develop
more meaningful interventions. Only when we are
able to look past their singular constructs of what it
means to be successful can we lift the prospects of
those on the margins and celebrate the influence on
our society writ large. The following section highlights
the students’ definitions of success. The diversity in
reactions to being nominated for this study led us to
ask the young men how they defined success. It was
clear from their responses that many of the young men
have internalized various signals, signs, and definitions
from the wider society, media, peers, families, and
teachers about what signifies “success.”
If the teacher
gets on the
student’s level,
they humanize
themselves… I
think that that’s
a lot better than
just yelling at a
kid...
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 13

SECTION II
The Importance of School: Personnel and Organizations
Throughout the interviews, the young men talked
about how school personnel and organizations were
crucial to their success. Teachers’ care, guidance, and
role modeling were critical characteristics that the young
men offered about certain school staff that contributed
to their success. In addition, organizations housed
within the school played a supporting role, specifically
extracurricular organizations, university and community
organizations, and team sports. These organizations
encouraged academic success, opportunities for
leadership, and social and emotional support. This
section will explain how the people and organizations
within schools contribute to student success.
PEOPLE: SCHOOL PERSONNEL
AND STUDENTS
School personnel served as a supportive source in
aiding the success of Black and Latino male participants
at their respective schools. Administrators, counselors,
coaches, core teachers, non-core teachers, and staff
employed a variety of strategies to assist in the success
of students. For a number of students, rigorous,
relevant, and responsive teaching, caring relationships,
guidance and role modeling from school personnel
contributed to student success in schools. Additionally,
having faculty that were of the same racial/ethnic,
cultural background was salient to the young men.
Students found it encouraging that a number of faculty
and staff members came from similar neighborhoods
and were making a positive contribution to their
community. Ultimately, having people that were
genuinely concerned with students’ overall well-being
was critical to their success in schools.
Rigorous, relevant, and responsive teaching.
Students explained that rigorous, relevant, and
responsive teaching positively impacted their
success in school. This type of teaching kept
students engaged and enhanced learning, while also
providing positive teacher-student relationships.
To begin, students often said that they thrived in
rigorous classrooms that made learning interesting
and meaningful. For example, Lalo stated:
Mr. Allende’s class is more active than other
teachers. He gets everyone to talk and everyone
gives their opinion, everyone thinks harder than
they do in other classes, and we all do a lot of
writing, discussions, and lectures. But the way he
teaches is really interesting.
The participants in the study explained that student
engagement went beyond making the class
entertaining but involved students engaging in
rigorous course material. Rigorous, relevant, and
responsive teaching required thoughtful unit and
lesson plans to make learning meaningful. In addition,
the participants also explained the importance of
teachers making learning relevant. Below a student
explains how his physics teacher made this possible.
Nicholas offered the following:
He (teacher) would relate it to real life
situations … we built a lighthouse where we
actually had to circuit and wire all the lighting
ourselves, which was really cool. It was difficult
but it was cool. I liked that. And we also built
some headphones as well … We actually built a
heat engine … you build the engine and then
you put it in a boat and it actually starts moving
... I like hands-on teaching.
In this example, the teacher provided multiple
opportunities to connect physics to “real life
situations.” Nicholas was able to see his learning
cross over into reality through a hands-on approach.
Other students provided similar examples, such as
historical re-enactments, science labs, and lessons
that connected to their lived reality. Outside of
engagement and content learning, responsive
teacher-student interactions were often mentioned.
The excerpt below describes a responsive approach
to supporting struggling students. Hakeem explains:
If the teacher gets on the student’s level, they
humanize themselves. They get on your level and
they tell you, “Yeah, I’ve been in your position,
we can do this. I’m going to help you get from
here to here. I’ve been through what you’ve been
through.” I think that that’s a lot better than just
yelling at a kid for not doing their homework.
Just understanding their perspective.
They [my
parents] always
tell me that
they came from
Mexico to give
me and my
siblings a better
life… that’s always
been a pushing
factor for me
to succeed.
JANUARY 201714

Hakeem explains that getting “on the student’s level”
is a positive approach to assist a student succeed in
the classroom. Students often mentioned that they
benefitted from teachers with similar cultural and
socio-economic backgrounds. Culturally relevant
interactions often provide the nudge students need
to overcome an obstacle in a given classroom. Given
the racial and ethnic demographics in today’s schools,
having teachers of color may not always be possible.
However, a number of the students highlighted the
need for teachers to be humanistic and culturally
sensitive in their interactions with students. The
following sections will further describe how school
personnel demonstrate care, guidance, and role
modeling for students in and out of the classroom.
School personnel providing care, mentorship,
and role modeling. One emerging theme within the
interviews was the critical role that school personnel
played in helping the participants achieve both
personal and academic success. Three primary ways
that school personnel aided the participants within
the schooling environment were demonstrating
care, guidance, and being a role model for these
young men. The school staff not only enhanced
the participants’ individual success, but also made
education more meaningful for them in the process.
Below are examples that the young men offered
regarding how staff members were caring, provided
guidance, and served as role models for the Black and
Latino males, resulting in their success within schools.
Mr. Johansen…you know seeing a black dude up
there teaching who looks like you, and is pushing
you to be better, it makes a difference. We need
more teachers like him.—Devonte
Care. Having knowledge that school personnel not
only care but are willing to demonstrate that care were
significant factors associated with the participants’
success in schools. Jose commented on how his
school counselor Mrs. Johnson demonstrated care
for him by stating:
My counselor she really helps … with college and
stuff and then even with your classes. If you need
help, just ask for advice like, “which class should
I take, which ones are colleges looking for” …
she’s just really welcoming, like kind, and very
relatable and you can talk to them about life and
about different things.
Similarly, Arturo explains how his teachers make time
to support his success.
Some teachers offer assistance for students after
school, during lunch, schedule study sessions,
they seem to care about our success in the
classroom. They’re the first people to make sure
we are all right.
While it may seem by the quotes provided that these
educators were just doing their job, Jose and Arturo’s
counselor and teacher respectively went above and
beyond what was required of them. It was important
to these educators that they meet their students’
overall needs, both from an academic and socio-
emotional standpoint.
Another example of how the participants’ teachers
demonstrated that they cared about the young men
was their insistence on setting high expectations.
For example Mark had a teacher who persuaded
him to enroll in a more rigorous course despite his
reluctance. Mark maintained:
My teachers have had a pretty big positive
impact in the sense that they sort of nudged me
a little into trying a harder class. I remember my
sophomore year, my Biology teacher was talking
with me and she was like, “You should consider
taking Honors Chemistry” and I wasn’t sure about
it at the time but after thinking about it and
talking about it, I was like “Well this teacher feels
like I can do it. So if she thinks I can do it why
shouldn’t I think that I can do it?” Afterwards I
was like “Well maybe I can do it so let’s sign up for
it and see what happens.” Then I ended up taking
Honors Chem next year and passing with an A.
Success is not
only limited to
what students do
in the classroom.
By broadening
the scope to
other places
that students
occupy with high
frequency we
can highlight the
ways in which
these young
men are making
a difference in
their homes and
communities.
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 15

Mark’s comment illustrated that the teacher had
more confidence in his own abilities than he had in
himself. The teacher convinced him to take a more
challenging course, resulting in Mark receiving an A in
the course. Encouraging students to exceed their own
expectations exemplified how teachers demonstrated
care for the participants, while setting a standard of
excellence for the males to follow in school.
To ensure student success, a number of teachers
developed initiatives designed to support the
academic and social needs of students in general and
Black and Latino males in particular. Xavier stated:
Mr. McKeller, he’s started YBMG, Young Black
Male Group, we bring awareness stuff like that.
We dress up on Mondays and yeah, it gave a
positive outlook.
Showing interest in the “whole” person, being
available and flexible with your time, establishing
high expectations, and developing initiatives for
the participants were just a few of the ways school
personnel signified that they cared about the male
participants and wanted them to have success in
school. In addition to demonstrating care, providing
mentorship for the young men was also a salient
factor in their success.
Mentorship. For a number of the participants,
school personnel provided the type of mentorship
that increased the likelihood of the students having
success in schools. The participants noted that
having staff members who were personable with
students served as an important part of mentoring.
Along these lines, Joseph remarked:
Mrs. Washington (biology teacher) talked about
her own personal experiences going to UCLA,
how she studied at school, didn’t go out on the
weekends because she put school as a priority
and that kind of changed the way I viewed things.
The willingness of Joseph’s teacher to discuss her
collegiate experiences not only allowed insight into
how she was able to successfully navigate school, but
it also created an opportunity for her students to have
a better of understanding of who she was. In addition
to being personal, being available was expressed by
students as an important factor contributing toward
their success. John revealed this about his teacher:
He’s (Mr. Wilkerson—history teacher) basically
always been around. Say like a real life mentor,
someone that followed me, and make sure I was
on track.
The quote above reveals that for this student, Mr.
Wilkerson extended his role beyond the classroom
by becoming a mentor and someone that the
young men could place their trust in. As a result of
the teacher demonstrating his investment in his
student’s overall well-being, this student was assured
of the teacher’s commitment to his success in school.
The role of mentor was extended even further as staff
members were seen as father figures to some of the
students. Carl, a high school junior, asserted:
He (Coach Wilson) kinda acts like our dad,
everyone on the team, he’s our football dad so
he cares about football but that is not the only
focus, his main focus is like getting us ready for
the real world.
The quote highlighted that the football coach at
this particular school served as a father figure for
this student and many others. Carl remarks that
while leading young men on the football field was
important, his coach’s primary concern was his
ability to prepare the young men for the world
off the field. In expressing this sentiment to his
players, the coach had the dual role of athletic
leader and father figure. The ability to have
personal relationships, making oneself available,
and serving as a parental figure helped school
personnel and students forge a bond that allowed
for the mentorship necessary to be successful in
school.
Rigorous,
relevant, and
responsive
teaching, caring
relationships,
guidance and
role modeling
from school
personnel
contributed to
student success
in schools.
JANUARY 201716

SECTION III
Home as a Source of Support
The Black and Latino males in our study repeatedly
referred to their homes as safe havens where
love, care, and encouragement are ever-present.
The chorus of the young men’s narratives speaks
to permanence of adult support, important
immigration experiences, the pendulum of challenges
and triumphs at home, and the value of family
and education. The young men in the study also
characterize their homes as spaces of empowerment
that consistently contributed to their aspirations to
succeed. This section highlights how the dynamics of
the “home” have guided the young men and served
as a place of affirmation to continue despite the
barriers they encounter.
RESILIENCY IN THE HOME
For the young men in this study, resiliency was
displayed on a daily basis. A majority of the young
men lived in single-parent households or in homes
where both parents worked extensive hours. So many
of them addressed the manner in which they had to
manifest resiliency to deal with various challenges:
I don’t really see my dad because he’s been
absent all my life… I’m really more close to my
uncle and my grandparents… they’ve been there
all my life… Don’t get me wrong, I look up to him
as well, but it’s not the same bond that I feel with
my grandparents and my uncle, and they help me
with a lot of things in life.
While a narrative has emerged where large numbers
of children of color grow up in fatherless homes, this
data demonstrates that although fathers were not
always present in the home, there were other men
who played prominent roles; uncles, grandfathers,
cousins, and older brothers were mentioned often.
This is important to note because much has been
made about the tragedies of Black and Latino males
who do not have positive male role models in their
lives. While some might view the absence of fathers
as a deficit, to be clear, many of the participants
stressed that there were still important men in their
lives. Other participants talked about this reality:
My uncle… he’s more like a father, cause I
never had the parental support with them
[my parents]… I don’t want to blame them
or anything but it was just probably for their
concern over trying to be stable, have a home.
So my uncle was the one… [pushing] me
towards school more… come to one of my track
meets or… take me places if they can’t come
to like a parent conference, he’d be like the
substitute to come.
Salvador added:
My godparents… they are also very supportive…
they are always there for me and, when I have
trouble with the car, or for example over
summer… I wanted to buy my own car… [and] he
[godfather] helped me get a car. It’s really great
cuz… he helps me with everything.
It should be noted that many of the participants
expressed their appreciation for the supportive and
stable home environments they had. Moreover, the
young men frequently talked about the strength
and perseverance that was evident in their homes,
which fueled their outlooks on life and contributed
to their success.
INTRA AND INTERGENERATIONAL
SUCCESS IN THE HOME
The majority of the students tied their success to
the achievement of other members in their family.
Whether it was educational attainment, maintaining
a happy, loving life, keeping consistent employment,
or taking care of others, these young men drew
inspiration, found the drive to succeed and strength
from older siblings, parents, and other family members
who served as motivation and models of success.
Christian reflects on his older sister and states:
My sister. She’s five years older than me and she’s
been in college. This is actually her last year...
She’s been the best help I can have… I call her
the experiment child because she’s seen college
and she’s gone through high school. She survived
and I’m just waiting on her. She tells me every day
My whole family
helps me out, my
grandma, all my
aunties, my dad,
my mom, my
sister. We all help
each other and
we all push each
other to make
sure everybody is
successful.
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 17

“get this ready, get this straight, by the time you
go to college this is how it’s going to be”
For Christian, his older sister’s achievement played a
crucial role in finding the support and guidance that
encourages many first-generation Black and Latino
males to succeed in pursuit of college. Although
Christian’s parents were unable to assist him with
schoolwork or college applications, his sister served
as a trailblazer, a role model that paved the road and
was a source of encouragement for him. Michael
shared a similar sentiment about his brothers.
…my brothers, my siblings… every single one
of them, is at the college level. My brother is
at UCI and my other brother is at Cal State LA…
I’ve always been surrounded by the type of
people that want me to go to college to learn
new things.
Michael’s reference to his siblings’ higher education
success is not only a source of support and
mentoring; it also challenges the narrative that
Black and Latino male youth do not have positive
role models in their homes and communities or
that they do not care about their education. Like
many of the participants in this study, Michael has
older siblings who are attending or graduating from
4-year universities. This intragenerational success
in the home has surrounded Michael with role
models, encouragement, and guidance to be a high-
achieving young man. More importantly, this finding
counteracts deficit notions of young Black and
Latino males by reinforcing the success of the young
men interviewed and the success that resided in
their homes with their brothers, sisters, and parents.
Vincent shares this about his brother:
My brother… seeing what he does, where he’s at
right now, that just motivates me to do better…
he’s at Harvard… He wants to be in the medicine
field. He’s my role model.
For Vincent, his brother attending an Ivy League school
did not make him feel a sense of pressure; it reinforced
the success within his home and the opportunity he had
to get support from his brother. While the majority of
the young men in this study revealed the educational
success in their homes, they also acknowledged the
success of their parents and correlated it with their hard
work and labor. As Felipe states,
my father… he raised a family of six, he was
happy, of course there were struggles but as a
family we pulled through. We all supported each
other emotionally.
Although attaining a higher education was a major
determinant of achievement in the home, the young
men also identified their parents’ hard work, dedication
to provide, and emotional support as success. This
success in the home has motivated the young men to
be academically successful and work in community
towards the success of everyone in the home.
HELPING AT HOME
Contrary to negative portrayals of Black and Latino
males as being void of emotion and compassion,
many of the study participants identified serving
their families in a supportive and altruistic role as a
high priority for them. Some of these young men
are responsible for taking care of their siblings while
their primary caretakers are at work.
My mom and sister and I have been through
some really tough situations. Sometimes our
car would break down and we had... me and my
sister had to get out and push it and sometimes
... like this one time it happened on a busy street
and people were honking and I am like shut up.
Yeah, we really work as a good team.
Like other participants in the study, Brandon and
his family experienced hardships. However, they
were able to work together as a team to confront
the difficulties associated with socioeconomic
disadvantage. Moreover, Brandon saw his role within
his family as a source of support for his sister and
mother. This theme of reciprocal and collaborative
household relationships emerged from other
participant voices as well.
My whole family helps me out, my grandma, all my
aunties, my dad, my mom, my sister. We all help
each other and we all push each other to make
sure everybody is successful and all my cousins
and everything. We all help each other, whether it
is school or anything we know we got each other’s
back so that is pretty much all there is.
Other young men considered their achievement
across numerous domains as foundational towards
building socioeconomic security for themselves and
their family. Several young men actually described
the term “success” as being able to help and provide
for their family members.
Always be on
top of your
game so you
can help others.
That’s how I
was raised…
If you ever
see someone
struggling, you
got to help them.
JANUARY 201718

If I make it through the highest amount [of
education] that I can reach, although it’s hard
and it’s going to be a journey, but making it
here out of the place that I live, making out of
the society that I live in or changing the society
that I’m living and being able to provide for
my family…I think success is doing your best to
improve all of mankind.
STORIES OF MIGRATION
One of the themes that came up with many of the
young men, the Latino participants in particular,
were stories of migration. Nearly one of every four
Americans is now an immigrant or the child of parents
who came from another country. Many of the children
in our K-12 schools are challenged daily with formidable
tasks of learning English, mastering academic English,
learning the culture of their new land, and learning
subject matter content—all concurrently.
Many of the Latino young men talked about hearing
stories of migration from elders in their families
and communities. The migration stories the elders
shared with the young men manifested in the home
and transferred to a deep sense of pride for them
and their families. The stories of their parents’,
grandparents’, and for some, their own migration
to the United States, gave the young men a sense
of responsibility to succeed, and motivated them to
make their parents proud and make the migration
journey significant for all. The young men seemed
to view the migration of their family members as a
sacrifice and honored the fearlessness and courage
of their family members to come to a new country
with the goal of providing them with an opportunity
for a better life. All of this was an inspiration to
succeed, graduate high school, and attend college.
Alex shared this:
They [my parents] always tell me that they came
from Mexico to give me and my siblings a better
life so… that’s always been a pushing factor for
me to succeed… and… trying to get good grades
and doing extracurriculars in order to live up to
what they expect… They gave up their whole
life… so I can’t throw it away here.
The story of the migration of Alex’s parents has
been the driving force for his success. The retelling
and deep understanding of the reasons behind
his parents’ migration has urged and encouraged
a number of these young men to be academically
successful and not dismiss the opportunity to
achieve, not just for themselves, but for their entire
families. Daniel mentioned this:
I was born in Mexico and then I came when I was
eight… I struggled… trying to learn the language
the first two years. But I kept working hard to
figure it out, just like my parents did to bring us
to this country.
Although Daniel struggled to learn English, his
story of migration conveys the perseverance and
determination he has to excel in high school. He
found the strength in his home, in his own lived
story of migration, to continue despite the language
barrier. Now, he is a high-achieving young man who
is pursuing higher education. Anthony speaks of his
uncle’s migration story in this manner:
My uncle… he overcame many obstacles in
coming to the United States and I’ll say he’s a
successful Latino male because… he doesn’t
have… a job that pays well but I think he does a
lot to support his family.
While Anthony acknowledges his uncle’s laborious
and underpaid job, his journey to the United States
and the dedication to provide is recognized by
Anthony and motivates him to be academically
successful. His father’s absence is replaced by the
support of his uncle and furthers his desire to prevail.
Similarly, Emmanuel speaks of his father:
My father, well he started from the bottom… he
came from Mexico, he jumped the border [and]
married my mom. They were very poor... I feel
like I owe it to them… I owe it to myself to work
hard because of what they have [had] to sacrifice
in order for me to… have clothes… eat, and go to
school.
MASCULINITY
Many of the participants we interviewed expressed lived
experiences with nondominant forms of masculinity,
while simultaneously describing and defying the rigid
expectations of what it means to be a man. Hegemonic
or dominant masculinity is often characterized by
rugged individualism, an uncritical commitment to
capitalism and financial success at all cost, sexist and
homophobic attitudes and behaviors directed towards
women and members of the LGBTQ community, lack
of emotional intelligence, and a potentially violent,
domineering approach to conflict in relationships and
other everyday circumstances. The participants in
Far too often,
young people’s
voices are muted,
overlooked, or
disregarded in
discourses about
them, their
hopes, dreams,
and aspirations.
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 19

the study seem to be aware of this normative framing
of masculinity and mentioned they felt pressure at
times to conform to patriarchal standards. However,
numerous young men also described success that
challenged these narrow definitions of what it meant to
be a man, articulating some aspects of what researchers
have called “progressive Black and Latino masculinities.”
For instance, although hegemonic masculinity requires
men to be undaunted stewards of traditional forms of
success, the participants offered diverse and nuanced
perspectives of their identities and achievement.
Throughout the study we heard words and statements
like “cry” “my emotions” and “my feelings,” which
are not typically part of the narrow depictions of
masculinity. Take the student below who is speaking
about his sense of self:
So people think being queer is all bad and stuff,
but it doesn’t make me any less than a person.
I’m still strong, brave, smart, determined and I
will be successful. I don’t care what anyone says.
This student spoke of his queer identity in proud
terms and contended that this does not deter him
from his goals, regardless of what outsiders might
think and say. Cedric, talked about love and religion
as core to his identiy:
My pastor is happy where he is. He’s doing
what God has led him to do. He’s putting the
kids first. He often says there’s three things no
one can take away from you, love, God, and a
good education. That’s my opinion too. Nothing
wrong with saying you love God.
Some of the young men were also aware of dominant
frames and felt pressure to conform to certain
patriarchal expectations. However, their awareness of
the existence of hegemonic masculinity was not always
translated into explicitly aligned dominant behaviors.
Some guys that I know like they feel that they
have to go in the wrong direction and be like
maybe be tough or mess with people or be
violent. But, for me, I want to go to college. I take
school serious. I take my sports serious. And,
I just want to be a successful person… doing
something productive with life….
This student witnessed and seemed to be aware of the
draw towards damaging forms of hypermasculinity.
He is clearly uninterested in following the same path
as some of his peers. However, the young man has
a nuanced enough perspective that he doesn’t rely
on the simple, dichotomous and punitive narrative
of “good” and “bad” men of color. Like other
participants, he humanizes other young men in his
life, identifies with them, and acknowledges his own
potential engagement with hegemonic masculinity.
He seems to be gentle with himself and others even
while opting out of problematic masculinity.
The students’ awareness of dominant masculine
frames was not always translated into expressly aligned
dominant behaviors. In fact, even those participants
who seemed to be more inclined towards seeking out
the traditionally masculine forms of success were more
concerned with failing the individuals around them
than simply obtaining a dominant socioeconomic
position. And several talked about the emotional
weight that comes with it:
Despite their awareness of normative masculinity, the
majority of our participants expressed emotionally
intelligent and progressive forms of masculinity.
They were empathetic and cared for others.
I think I am good at putting myself in someone
else’s shoes. If I did something wrong I will sort of
know what I did wrong.
Jamison commented:
I am a paraclete so I basically take care of the
children of the church while the parents are in
the sanctuary and in the services. We take care of
the kids and it’s made me a lot more caring. Just
over the past two years I have been a lot more
caring towards people than I ever was.
SUMMARY
As shown, the homes of the Black and Latino men in
this study had a tremendous impact on their desire to
be academically successful, not only for themselves
but for their family and communities. Their homes
conveyed vigor and strength that challenged
traditional notions of masculinity and demonstrated
a dedication to the growth and happiness of all
members. The stories of migration were evidence of
the sacrifice and hard work parents endured to give
the young men an opportunity for a better life—an
opportunity they are committed to. The achievement
in the home reinforces the guidance and support the
young men in this study possess.
For me success
is about doing
something
different, doing
something big...I
didn’t want to
perpetuate the
negative cycle
of young African
American males
JANUARY 201720

SECTION IV
The Importance of Community
The influence of community for Black and Latino
male students carries major significance in their
lives. It goes without stating that most communities
provide safe and supportive environments to
build and sustain bonds with their peers, family
members, and local leaders. It is also clear that some
communities have challenging environments filled
with drugs, gangs, and violence, which these young
men remind us may cause fear and withdrawal.
This section highlights how community guides and
influences how the young men build resiliency, the
desire to help and give back, locate and thrive in
supportive spaces, and the feeling of safety from
external pressures.
SPACES TO FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT
OF RESILIENCY
The Black and Latino male students utilized different
spaces in their communities to form their resiliency.
Resiliency is central in their development of inner
strength to help guide them away from gangs,
overcome various struggles, and focus on their social
and academic goals. Fostering resiliency is shaped
and interpreted differently by each student, but is
a vital internal tool for each young man. The young
men discussed how they located sources of strength
to guide them. One of those sources of support was
the church. As Terrance shares:
[Church] strengthens me and I apply that to my life
a lot when I go through troubles and hardships
Terrance’s church allowed a space to process his
personal challenges. In addition to church and faith,
athletics was identified as a community source of
support for many of the young men. The Black and
Latino males participated in different sports in their
schools and communities, which allowed them to learn
new skills with their peers, as Julio comments below:
If it wasn’t for boxing—I wouldn’t be the man that
I am today because…my community...there was
a lot of gangs in middle school. There was a lot of
gangs and I was involved with the wrong crowd.
But I was always trying to stay away because of
boxing…I don’t want to be [like them]…I’m a
boxer—I can’t be involved in [gangs], I still hanged
around [them] because they were my friends, but I
wouldn’t do what they did.
Julio used a local Boys & Girls Club to develop an
interest in boxing. His involvement in boxing helped
redirect his focus from gangs and negative peer
influences in the community to focusing on his physical
and mental health instead. There is a tension because
the gang members are his childhood friends, whereas
other students are aware of gangs and violence in
their community and use their resiliency to avoid the
constant temptation to join a gang or crew.
I live next to a park…it’s ghetto and gang
affiliated place…I’ve been raised up there and
I’ve seen nothing but family events, that’s where I
grew up and saw a great place…it’s a family.
Although the local park is located in a gang
neighborhood, Julio is able to look past the negativity
and see the families using the park and see the “great
place” that it can be.
I started swimming at the pool…and that gave
me a lot of opportunities…it opened up a lot of
opportunities, it made me a better person…a
better person in the sense of physically and
mentally
Mark used the community to build his resiliency
to become a “better person.” Similar to the other
young men in this section who used their church and
sports to develop a stronger inner determination to
navigate their communities.
HELPING OTHERS AND GIVING BACK
TO THE COMMUNITY
The students stated that their surrounding communities
are an important part of their identity as people of
color and contribute to their aspirations to help
others. They consistently stated that they care and
are invested in their communities, and hold a sense of
personal pride and investment by contributing through
various formal and informal service opportunities
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 21

(e.g., community sports, fund-raising, and Habitat for
Humanity). With each activity and formal investment
into their community, the students showed additional
types of pride and concern for the betterment of their
communities. Victor stated:
I am part of the Top Teens Program…we help do
Red Cross 4K runs…breast cancer [fundraising]…
it helps me learn how to motivate people and
how to care for people more…how to make
people feel better even though they are having
all of these hardships…I definitely think it’s had a
positive effect on me.
Giving back to the community is an important step
for these young men to build their views of success
but cement their commitment to helping others.
Feels Internal Responsibility to Help Others
Arturo discusses the loneliness and isolation he
experienced in middle school, which inspires him
to want to help others, so they do not have similar
moments. Arturo said he views helping others as a
moral responsibility.
I’m a very helpful person. I really like helping
other people because I know how it felt in middle
school, I wasn’t really successful and I needed
help and nobody helped me—so I know that
pain of being alone and not knowing who to go
to for help. I always felt that as a person it was
my responsibility to help others and that’s a
motivating factor into my success. Always be on
top of your game so you can help others. That’s
how I was raised in my house. If you ever see
someone struggling, you got to help them.
Community Beautification Involvement
The community beautification process helped
Ricardo witness how his efforts can have a direct
impact on his connection to the community. The
experience allows the students to feel successful by
helping others.
I volunteered for the neighborhood pride day...
it helps you make the community look beautiful,
so…our job was to clean the houses, clean
fences…being part of that for one day…helped
me open my eyes more—it helped me see that
I have the power to affect my community and it
just helped me connect to others…helped me
become successful
The students see the power of their efforts not
only transforming the physical characteristics of
their community, but also identifying that they play
an active role in being responsible for the long-
term value of their community and developing
networks with others who share similar values in
investing in their neighborhoods. The students’
internal satisfaction with helping others within their
communities plays a significant part in their lives. This
investment in the communities helps open students’
“eyes” to how they can individually serve others and
feel a sense of satisfaction.
In the following example, the student worked with
his father teaching sports to adolescents. Brandon
thinks about his service as “helping society.” These
efforts may have lasting effects not only on the
participants but also on the young people they serve
in their communities.
I started volunteering with my dad…coaching
basketball and football at the parks…I like that…I
like to see these kids compete…I like to push
them to do their best…it makes me feel good…
helping society and just knowing I’m doing
something to help society.
Brandon shares his enthusiasm for sports with the
kids and his father in the parks during different
team sports. Both students see their involvement
The students’
internal
satisfaction with
helping others
within their
communities
plays a significant
part in their lives.
JANUARY 201722

in the community as efforts to improve their local
community, as well as the larger society.
As students in this study continue investing in their
communities, they will build their sense of civic
engagement. Although the previous examples
primarily highlight students’ individual efforts, the
influence of their parents also contributes to their
investment in local, but also global, communities in
need. As Zack shares:
My mom…she’s a nurse…she works with a
program that goes to Africa…they provide medical
treatment, dental treatment, provide them with
school supplies, so what I do is help pack all the
supplies and help organize. This just really shows
me…after seeing all their pictures [when] they
come back…really showed me that nothing should
be taken for granted cause they’re really living off
like the smallest amount of supplies. After college,
I want to give back to countries like that…even
around the community—just give back
Zack aspires to helping other communities and
countries in need. The photos from his mother’s
volunteer trip are testament to his direct impact on
the lives of people around the globe. These students
demonstrate a keen awareness of their impact on the
community and also how their involvement helps
them grow and become better people.
COMMUNITY SUPPORTIVE SPACES
Black and Latino male students stated the physical
spaces (e.g. parks, community centers, churches,
etc.) in their community are needed to cultivate and
sustain their social networks. These networks are
important due to the peers who are instrumental in
their development. Having these “spaces” is crucial
to foster mentoring and peer relationships with
others who are invested in Black and Latino males’
personal well-being. The young men talked about
several locations in their communities that were
helpful for them throughout Los Angeles County:
The park…I just walk around…and look outside my
view and breathe, it helps me relieve my stress as
well as ponder in my mind…I get a lot of ideas…it
helps my mind breathe and I can think clearly about
my homework and what I can do for my work
Frank, quoted above, sees the park as a place to de-
stress and collect his thoughts. This calm environment
allows him to conceptualize his homework
assignments. Other males are involved in structured
programs to build relationships with other teenagers
and mentors. Ronnie shares his satisfaction at being a
part of the Youth Policy Institute.
Youth Policy Institute…is a place where you get to
talk to people…other high school students, we’re
all going to be seniors…they’re saying some of
the same things that I’m feeling—the same…they
really understand…we have been chosen to be a
part of this program for one reason
Ronnie appreciates having found a space where
others share similar values and feelings about their
communities. The Youth Policy Institute provides
Only when we are
able to look past
their singular
constructs of
what it means
to be successful
can we lift the
prospects of
those on the
margins and
celebrate the
influence on our
society writ large.
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 23

teenagers an opportunity to foster relationships with
their peers. These programs focus on Black and Latino
youth, where they can benefit from the individual
attention and support to push and reach for larger
goals. The young men who were participants in
those programs stressed that they were able to form
meaningful relationships with program managers,
volunteers, and youth workers, but also peers who
are not involved in violence or gang activities. The
increased personal benefits he acquired may carry
over to becoming a self-advocate in higher education.
Edwin from South Los Angeles stated sports and
recreational areas are critical for his health and
overall well-being:
I like basketball…it helps me out…to get out
my stress...to get my mind off of things…and
it’s huge emotionally [relief]…it’s like a huge
advantage for me to keep off the bad things to
the side…it helps me not focus on violence in my
neighborhood or gangs
Edwin used basketball to avoid gangs and violence
in his neighborhood. Other students are members
of scholarship programs, where they receive pre-
college counseling and participate in a summer
college preparation program. These programs help
supplement the college information the students are
building in high school.
South Central Scholars, a program centered
towards minority youth in the urban community…
it’s like a scholarship, but they have a summer
program at USC…it helps you academically and
they teach you how to work
Mario highlights the role of the scholarship program
in providing access to social and navigational capital,
to receive job training and also to understand how
to use the new information to maneuver new spaces.
Safety/External Pressures
One of the challenges all of these young men may face
are the social dangers in their given neighborhoods.
The importance of safety and an escape from
community pressures is vital to identifying and
supporting for the young men in this study. The
Black and Latino males talked about how such spaces
provided a distraction from negative experiences
they sometimes witness. Other students are able to
learn from close-aged peers or older adults and build
connections which may not be available at home.
Kenneth, in the example below, shares how he builds
various forms of capital through relationships with
older adults on the basketball courts. He is able to
learn how the world works and how to anticipate new
challenges in their communities.
The gym. I go play basketball…[the older Black
and Brown men] they keep me away from any
negativity in the streets. People that are older than
me, talk to me let me know how the world would
already [work] outside of school.
Luis offers an example of how his local elementary
school provides a safe environment to avoid violence
in his community.
And [the elementary school] would distract
me from everything negative going on, it’s a
bad neighborhood [where I live], there’s always
something violent going on. I would go to the
elementary school to play basketball by myself…
sometimes I would go run next to the school
because I felt safe next to the school…
SUMMARY
y Students used personal experiences and environment
(e.g., churches, community pools, Boys & Girls Clubs)
to build their resilience and focus on their long-term
goals of not being enticed into gangs and/or violence;
y The young men volunteered in multiple formal
and informal programs through school clubs, local
churches, or community centers. These opportunities
opened new perspectives and understanding of their
role in improving individual communities;
y The students used local parks, sports, school-based
programs, and community organizations to avoid
violence and gangs in their communities. These
spaces provided either opportunities to focus on
physical outlets (through sports), emotional well-
being (self-confidence), or to build friendships
with like-minded peers; and
y The importance of older male figures and
involvement in organized programs provided a “sense
of safety” from potential involvement in trouble. The
shared understanding between Black and Latino
male high school students and older members of the
community heightened the students’ eagerness to
form strong bonds with others who understand their
trials and tribulations and to have a larger network of
positive figures in their lives.
Many Black and
Latino males are
frequently left
outside of the
narrow confines
of success,
despite behaving
in ways that are
laudable outside
their classrooms.
JANUARY 201724

Throughout
the research,
most students
referenced an
organization
or person that
contributed to
their success.
SECTION V
Recommendations
SCHOOLS
The school section captured the ways that school
personnel and organizations supported students at
the various school sites. However, not every student
or school had access to the same resources. Schools
striving to support Black and Latino males should
assess the ways these students are being afforded
opportunities to learn. Drawing from the voices of
the young men that we spoke to, the research team
recommends six ways for schools to further support
Black and Latino male students.
1. Teacher-student relationships beyond the
classroom. School administrators, teachers, and staff
should make the effort to learn about the homes
of these young men and the cultural wealth they
hold, in order to understand students beyond the
classroom. While we understand that teachers have
lessons to plan, assignments to grade, and lives of
their own, the young men in our study praised the
teachers and staff who cared about them, invested
in them, went the extra mile to get to know them,
inquired about their personal lives, and even took
on mentoring roles in their lives. Schools serve as
a second home for many of our participants, and
as such, school administrators, teachers, and staff
should be intentional in developing a culture of
care, concern, and commitment to young men
academically, socially and emotionally.
2. School and community organizations: providing
social and emotional support. Students were
exposed to diverse organizations, including
community- based organizations at their school sites
that met many of their needs. The organizations that
were the most influential provided multidimensional
support that kept students engaged in school,
sustained and enhanced their interest in academics,
and alleviated stress for students. We recommend
that school organizations and community based
organizations work in sync to consider the ways that
provides students holistic support. A number of the
young men spoke to the challenging home lives and
communities they lived in. Mental health supports
can make a notable difference for young men of color.
In addition, organizations may also need to partner
with other organizations and resources to ensure that
students’ social and emotional needs are met.
3. Developing a school culture of success. Throughout
the research, most students referenced an
organization or person that contributed to their
success. Missing from students’ narratives were the
ways that schools, as a whole, support students. Only
one of the school sites was continuously referenced
as having a school culture that contributed to student
success. The school that developed a culture and
support system for academic success encouraged all
students to do well in school. Additionally, students
remarked that the school provided care and support
that went beyond a few individuals but was embedded
in the organization of the school. This example
provides the possibility of having a school culture that
provides a framework for students to be successful. For
young males of color to be successful, school policies,
practices, and procedures need to be geared toward
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 25

the success of all students, not heavily centered on
punitive actions, and connected to school-home-
community engagement.
4. Challenge traditional notions of masculini-
ty for Black and Latino males. Educational practi-
tioners and school leaders need to celebrate a shift
towards progressive masculinity and acknowledge
the humaneness and feelings of these young men;
their desire to love and be loved, and the care they
express for their families, friends, and other loved
ones. They need to challenge stereotypes about
young Black and Latino men in the classroom and
create safe classrooms where students are willing
and comfortable expressing their feelings. Recog-
nizing the prevalence of diverse masculinities is crit-
ical in creating a caring school climate for males of
color. The young men in this study were not afraid
to show their vulnerabilities and emotions and chal-
lenge rigid ideas of masculinity.
5. Recognize Black and Latino male resiliency.
Resiliency and altruism were evident throughout the
voices of the participants. Administrators, teachers,
and policymakers would be wise to acknowledge
the grit, perseverance, and life situations of Black
and Latino males and provide support services that
amplify the positive outcomes associated with these
characteristics. For instance, teachers can utilize
pedagogy that invites students to reflect upon their
own life challenges, tie these to the experiences
of others, and recognize the strength inherent in
facing difficulties. Administrators and policymakers
can look to develop policies regarding attendance,
testing, and other demands associated with student
life. Black and Latino males serve numerous roles
within and beyond their tasks as students.
6. Rethinking school success. While many of the
young men in our study held grade point averages
that were 3.0 and above, not all did. While many
of the young men in the study were taking
rigorous college preparatory courses, not all did.
Nonetheless, what became quite clear in this
work was that success needs to be reimagined in
schools. All of the young men in this study showed
uncanny promise and leadership, participated in
extracurricular activities, helped their peers at
school, and demonstrated success in a multitude
of ways. Moreover, it is important for schools to
help personnel see the numerous ways that many
young men of color manifest their brilliance,
intellect, and promise.
COMMUNITY
The value and influence of community on young
people cannot be overstated. According to our data,
communities have a significant impact on the lives
of young Black and Latino men in this study. The
young men informed us about how they searched
for mentors and like-minded peers in local parks,
community centers, churches, and informal and
organized sports, and through volunteer experiences.
These mentors and peers serve to help the Black and
Latino males focus on positivity instead of being
drawn into violence and gangs in their surrounding
communities. Among the recommendations that we
would make are the following:
y Providing Black and Latino males opportunities
to volunteer in structured school or community
based programs to broaden their interest and
involvement to positively change their community
would be vital. Efforts tied to community
enhancement and improvement seem to have
particular appeal to the young men we spoke to
in our work. Throughout our study, the young
men talked about the levels of satisfaction and
enjoyment they received from ventures centered
on giving back and helping others.
y Legislators may want to consider additional
investments in local parks and gang prevention
programs focused on Black and Latino males to
steer students from gang involvement. Throughout
our conversations, the young men talked about
the pervasiveness of gangs in their community.
They discussed having to steer clear of gangs, the
need to be aware of particular neighborhoods, and
talked about why structured afterschool activities
were important for them to be able to remain at
school premises after hours.
y Throughout our interviews the young men talked
about the critical role that sports played in their
success. Thus, any programmatic efforts that focus
on sports and youth development should not only
remain in place but should be provided additional
supports. Elementary and middle schools should
provide afterhours sports or community building
programs for local Black and Latino teenagers.
Moreover, while our participants talked about the
importance of sports, they also said that activities
that offered mentoring young men in sports were
important as well.
What became
quite clear in this
work was that
success needs to
be reimagined in
schools.
JANUARY 201726

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REFERENCES
Thank you to our research team
Adrian Huerta, PhD Bianca Haro Brian Woodward LaMont Terry, PhD Oscar Navarro, PhD Kenjus Watson
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 27

Pasadena Blair High School
Blair High School is located in Pasadena, California,
just 15 minutes from downtown Los Angeles and is
considered to be a more affluent city; the median
household income in Pasadena is $68,172 (2013)
compared to the national household average of
$51,939. The city also boasts the highest number of
private schools per capita due to a court ruling. In
1970, a court ordered the city’s once well-regarded
school district to desegregate. Rather than have their
kids go to school with the mostly Black kids from
the Northwest, the city’s upper class and wealthy
people pulled their children out of the public school
system. Blair High and Middle School is an authorized
International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Program,
which provides the framework for an integrated
and international philosophy that is supported by
academic rigor and opportunities to explore and learn
about the world outside the immediate community.
The IBMYP was authorized at Blair IB School in October
2002. Blair High and Middle School was authorized
to offer the IB Diploma Program in April of 2007. Blair
High School is one of 28 schools in the Pasadena
Unified School District. According to U.S. News, Blair
High School is unranked.
y Total Student Body: 1,153
y Racial Breakdown:
u Black/African American: 25%
u Hispanic: 56%
u Asian: 8%
u White: 8%
u Two or more: 3%
y Free and Reduced Lunch Assistance:
u Eligible: 59%
u Not Eligible: 31%
u Reduced Price: 10%y Growth Academic
y Performance Index (API) (2013):
u Schoolwide: 904
u Black/African American: 227
u Hispanic/Latino: 498
u Socioeconomically disadvantaged: 698
y Weighted 3-Year API (2011–2013):
u Schoolwide: 710
u Black/African American: 696
u Hispanic/Latino: 682
u Socioeconomically disadvantaged: 680
Westchester Enriched Sciences
Magnet High School
Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnet High School
(WESM) is a public magnet school within the Los Angeles
Unified School district located in the Westchester region
of Los Angeles County. The majority of students at
WESM are People of Color with nearly 75% identifying
as African American and close to 20% identifying as
Latino/a. Despite the school demographics, WESM is
actually located in a historically and predominantly white
neighborhood in Los Angeles situated near the Los
Angeles International Airport and Loyola Marymount
University. Black males account for 40% of the student
population. Historically, WESM has enrolled one of the
largest black male student populations in the state.
Almost half of the students in the school are labeled
socio-economically disadvantaged. In recent years
the school has restructured and currently consists
of a magnet school model with a health and science
focus. The shift to a magnet focus has not been without
controversy within the community. Despite this fact,
within WESM warm staff and teachers work tirelessly
with the students. A counselor runs the college readiness
center and consistently encourages students to absorb
and engage with information about higher education.
y Total Student Body: 1,247
y Racial Breakdown
u Black/African American: 72.9%
u Hispanic/Latino: 16.7%
u White: 5.7%
u APIA: 2.5%
u American Indian: 0.7%
u Two or more races: 1.5%
y Free and Reduced Lunch Assistance
u Eligible: 38%
u Not Eligible: 56%
u Reduced Price: 6%
y Growth API (2013)
u Schoolwide: 704
u Black/African American: 679
u Hispanic/Latino: 741
u Socioeconomically Disadvantaged: 686
y Weighted 3-Year API (2011–2013)
u Schoolwide: 689
u Black/African American: 662
u Hispanic/Latino: 734
u Socioeconomically Disadvantaged: 674
King Drew Magnet High School
King Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and
Science (King-Drew) is a competitive magnet school
that serves over 1,500 primarily low-income Latino
and African American students. King-Drew excels
in providing students a competitive academic
environment, where almost 70 percent of the students
are college eligible (A-G requirements) and is well
above the district average for high school completion
rates. Apart from King-Drew’s academic curriculum,
the school has strategic partnerships with multiple
hospitals and clinics throughout the community,
including UCLA Hospital and the Veterans Affairs
Clinics, to provide additional learning opportunities
for students. The school is located in a low-to-
middle-class suburb of Los Angeles, where the
median household income in 2014 was $33,678 (U.S.
Census Bureau, 2014). Lastly, less than 40 percent of
the students are males and over 80% of all students
have high aspirations to attend some postsecondary
education institution in the future.
y Total Student Body: 1,563
y Racial Breakdown:
u Black/African American: 45%
u Hispanic/Latino: 53%
u White: 1%
y Free and Reduced Lunch Assistance:
u Eligible: 70%
u Not eligible: 21%
u Reduced Price: 9%
y Growth API (2013):
u Schoolwide: 1,226
u Black/African American: 603
u Hispanic/Latino: 609
u Socioeconomic disadvantaged: 1,031
y Weighted 3-Year API (2011–2013):
u Schoolwide: 784
u Black/African American: 763
u Hispanic/Latino: 805
u Socioeconomic disadvantaged: 785
SCHOOL DEMOGRAPIHCS
JANUARY 201728

Long Beach Polytechnic High School
Long Beach Polytechnic High School in California
has a history of being recognized for its competitive
academic and athletic program. This is evidenced by the
school consistently being recognized as one of the top
100 high schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine.
In 2011, Poly was identified by Sports Illustrated as the
top athletic program in the nation. The juxtaposition of
competitive athletic and academic programs creates
a unique school culture that students are tasked with
navigating. With a student population comprised of
more of 4,400 students, not only is the school one of
the largest in the state, but also historically the school
is one of the most diverse schools in the nation. The
school is located in a low-to-middle class city where
the median income in 2012 was $47,837 and the current
unemployment is 9.7%. The school is comprised of a
number of small learning communities (academies)
that track students based on interests or by admission
requirements. It is within this context that Black and
Latino males are seeking to achieve success.
y Total Student Body: 4,464
y Racial Breakdown:
u
Hispanic/Latino: 36.6%
u
Asian: 17.8%
u
Black/African American: 23.2%
u
White: 11.6%
u
Pacific Islander: 2.3%,
u
Filipino: 6.3%
u
Two or More: 1.5%
y Free and Reduced Lunch:
u
Eligible: 50%
u
Not Eligible: 44%
u
Reduced Price: 7%
y Growth API (2011-2013):
u
Schoolwide: 764
u
Black/African American: 693
u
Hispanic/Latino: 717
u
Socioeconomically disadvantaged: 710
y Weighted 3-Year API (2011–2013):
u
Schoolwide: 753
u
Black/African American: 683
u
Hispanic/Latino: 700
u
Socioeconomically disadvantaged: 695
George Washington Preparatory
High School
George Washington Preparatory High School is a
public 4-year high school in the Westmont section of
unincorporated Los Angeles County, California and
was founded in 1926. The school has a Los Angeles
address but is not located in the city limits of Los
Angeles. It serves many areas in South Los Angeles
and unincorporated areas around South Los Angeles,
including Athens, West Athens, and Westmont. In
addition it serves the LAUSD section of Hawthorne.
It was the location for a 1986 TV movie entitled Hard
Lessons, depicting Denzel Washington as the new
principal, who sets out to rid the school of gang
violence and drugs and restore educational values
to the school. A famous former principal is George
McKenna, whom Denzel Washington portrayed in the
movie Hard Lessons.
At this site, the gold mine is the college center. Students
walk in and out of the college center for academic and
personal advice, to study, or simply to hang out with
the college counselor and other peers during lunch.
Brochures for programs like Upward Bound, posters
advertising Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
public and private universities, summer programs, and
scholarship opportunities are laid out on tables and
posted on the walls of the office. Pictures of students
who have been admitted to colleges are displayed on
the wall with their letters of acceptance. The college
center, as well as the young men’s caring teachers and
counselors, are crucial to the overall success of the
students at Washington Prep.
y Total Student Body: 1,465
y Racial Breakdown:
u
Black/African American: 55%
u
Hispanic/Latino: 44%
u
Other: 1%
y Free and Reduced Lunch Assistance:
u
Eligible: 78%
u
Not Eligible: 19%
u
Reduced Price: 3%
y Growth API (2013):
u
Schoolwide: 590
u
Black/African American: 550
u
Hispanic/Latino: 632
u
Socioeconomically disadvantaged: 590
y Weighted 3-Year API (2011–2013)
u
Schoolwide: 572
u
Black/African American: 543
u
Hispanic/Latino: 601
u
Socioeconomically disadvantaged: 571
.
Social Justice Humanitas Academy
Social Justice Humanitas Academy (SJHA) is a small
public high school located in a predominately
low-income Latino community in the San Fernando
Valley. About five years ago, local teachers
developed the school as a social justice themed,
teacher-led, and student centered campus. At the
heart of the school is a campus-wide culture that
contributes to student success, which has benefited
its Latino and Black male students. The school
provides support systems that goes beyond a “few
caring adults” but instead involves the campus
community, encouraging student academic success
through a social justice mission. School leadership,
teachers, and staff provide care and support exceeds
beyond the bell and job duties. Instead, adult
interactions with youth provide academic, social,
emotional, and personalized support that students
credited as leading to their success in school. In
addition, the school has clubs and organizations;
partners with local universities, community based
organizations, local businesses, and organizations
that meet students’ academic, justice-oriented,
artistic, and other needs. Lastly, the school has
received recognition from the district for student
success and community engagement.
y Total Student Body: 506
y Racial Breakdown:
u
Hispanic/Latino: 95.5%
u
Black/African American: 2.8%
u
White: 1.4%
u
American Indian: 0.2%
y Free and Reduced Lunch:
u
Eligible: 68%
u
Not Eligible: 24%
u
Reduced Price: 7%
y Growth API (2013)
u
Schoolwide: 708
u
Black/African American: 551
u
Hispanic/Latino: 715
u
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged: 718
THE COUNTER NARRATIVE: Reframing Success of High Achieving Black and Latino Males in Los Angeles County 29

UCLA Black Male Institute
Graduate School of Education & Information Studies
University of California, Los Angeles
1026 Moore Hall; Box 951521
Los Angeles, CA. 90095-1521
(310) 267-4824