ABSTRACT
Hispanic and African-American first generation college students provide a series of unique challenges to leaders in higher education. These two groups are likely to feel the indignities of belonging to racially stigmatized groups. This chapter provides a series of recommendations to educators who, as willing learners, are eager to further develop their cultural competencies in order to unleash the learning potential of all students by making racial diversity work in higher education. There is much that educators, particularly as members of the majority, dominant group, must teach themselves before they can become part of the force that will create a learning-teaching environment to ensure the success of first-generation college students from stigmatized groups. Namely, they must familiarize themselves with the ways students labeled “minorities” have been impacted by racism. The pessimism of educators and the pessimism of urban students from poverty are on a collision course in the public schools of America.
