Hello, we are Alisha Garcia Flores and Dr. Emely Medina-Rodriguez, the current Co-Chairs of the LaRED (Latinx Responsive Evaluation Discourse) AEA TIG. We are extremely excited to celebrate 10 years of LaRED Comunidad this year with our members!
History
LaRED is a diverse group that aims to create a professional network for individuals from different racial, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds. It originated from Latinx evaluators who wanted a safe space for those working with the Latinx community to promote fair and inclusive practices that prioritize the voices of the Latinx community. The goal was to form a community of scholars and practitioners focused on culturally responsive and equitable evaluation with the Latinx community. This comunidad was created to inspire evaluators dedicated to social justice and fair evaluations, and to encourage new ideas, critiques, and analyses of current evaluation practices within the Latinx community. The framework of this community aims to transform mainstream narratives and discussions into collective learning and adaptation, promoting empowerment and solidarity to address real-world challenges. (Aponte-Soto et al. 2024)
LaRED Comunidad
Over the years, members have found a place to learn and exchange ideas and practices related to evaluating Latinx communities. They have joined LaRED through various channels, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of the practices of Latinx evaluators and to establish a community with other Latinx evaluators and scholars. LaRED is meaningful for its members as it provides a secure environment for evaluators to share their interests and concerns. They value the comunidad framework as it provides space to create collective wisdom derived from the shared cultural wealth of its members. Members characterize LaRED as a welcoming environment where they feel a sense of belonging and can learn from others.
Rad Resources:
- LaRED website
- LaRED 10th Anniversary poster
- Perspectives on Practicing Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation with Latina/O/E Communities
- Culturally Responsive and Equity-Focused Evaluation Philosophies and Approaches
- Culturally responsive, Indigenous, and equitable evaluation resource list
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