103 - Perspectives and reflections from Latino/a/e/x evaluators: breaking down their culture, identity, contributions to the field & professional practice

Abstract Information: It is of vital importance to expand the literature on how the culture and identity of evaluators who come from historically marginalized and underrepresented populations influence their professional practice as they are the fiercest advocates for change (Reid et al., 2020). The purpose of this roundtable is to describe results obtained from 17 qualitative interviews conducted in 2021 with Latino/a/e/x evaluators who shared insights about how their culture and identity shape their professional practice. Applied thematic analysis was used to organize the data and identify seven major themes: (a) nuanced Latino/a/e/x identity, (b) language as a cultural factor, (c) a Latin American heritage, (d) constant exploration of terminology to refer to themselves, (e) cultural values, (f) challenges experienced, and (g) cultural professional identity. Findings provide direction for program evaluation practice and the encouragement of including divergent voices and perspectives such as Latino/a/e/x in the field.

Relevance Statement: Current literature highlights the critical role evaluators play in dismantling discourses of power and inequity rooted in politics, programs, and policies (Reid et al., 2020). Evaluators can be perceived as social inquirers, who are products of their environment (values, life experiences, and personal biographies), which influence the research/evaluation they do (Ford, 2011). As a consequence, during the past decades, there have been a great number of studies that aim to acknowledge the role culture plays in research and evaluation (Acree & Chouinard, 2020; AEA, 2011; Baldwin et al., 2006; Boyce & Chouinard, 2017). More recently, there has been also significant literature on the role identity plays in evaluation and research (Calzada et al., 2010; Castelló et al., 2020; Frost & Holt, 2014; Harvey, 2013; Muhammad et al., 2015; Rahimpour et al., 2018; Reid et al., 2020; Sturges, 2014). Nonetheless, we continue to know very little to nothing about how evaluators’ culture and identity influence and shape their professional practice, and we know even less about evaluators of color. The underrepresentation of Black, Latino/a/e/x, and Native American scholars among contributors to knowledge production has been a concern over the past decades (Gordon et al., 1990). As evaluators who come from minoritized communities are the fiercest advocates for change (Reid et al., 2020), it is of vital importance to expand the literature on how the culture and identity evaluators who come from historically marginalized and underrepresented populations influence their professional practice. For this reason, analyzing the underlying dimensions of evaluators who identify themselves as Latino/a/e/x is especially necessary today. By exploring Latino/a/e/x evaluators’ experiences, this article aims to contribute to current literature that decenters whiteness as owners of knowledge (Cram & Mertens, 2016). In this sense, this study describes the culture, identity, and professional practice of Latino/a/e/x evaluators. The data presented in this article corresponds to a qualitative research study that explored the lived experiences of 17 evaluators who identify themselves as Latino/a/e/x. The study relied exclusively on semi-structured and in-depth interviews. By sharing their stories, these evaluators provided valuable insights into how Latino/a/e/x live among dichotomies and multifaceted realities. For this reason, there is no single label that can capture the richness and diversity of the people within this population. These participants, as many more Latinos Latino/a/e/x in other fields, have come to realize “there is no one Latino experience.” Anzaldúa (2012), like many more scholars, had previously highlighted this multifaceted and ambivalent nature of Latino/a/e/x. In the evaluation field, there is still a noticeable underrepresentation of Latino/a/e/x in the field, and many of their contributions remain silenced and forgotten. This roundtable will voice and make visible the voices of a population that has been historically marginalized, increasing awareness about the need for understanding how the identities of evaluators of color impact their perceived role and evaluation praxis.