Gorman, CarmaCatterall, Kate2016-10-072018-01-222016-10-072018-01-222016-08August 201http://hdl.handle.net/2152/41548Latinos are one of the fastest-growing ethnic minority groups in the United States. Yet they have the lowest college graduation rate of any racial or ethnic group in the United States. This report documents self-reflective, participatory processes I used, based on my personal experience as a Latina in higher education, to design engaging workshops and transitional objects to support the Latina community at the University of Texas at Austin. I propose that workshops promoting awareness of structural barriers, coaching in self-reflective techniques, and the co-creation of totemic objects that serve as transitional objects and aides-mémoires can empower young Latina women to persevere in higher education. The workshops were designed to use group storytelling, self-reflection and sharing methods to educate and empower young Latinas to create an on-going sense of agency and build stronger communities within higher education.application/pdfenLatinaCultureEmpowermentHigher educationWorkshopCommunity-centered designCommunityEngagementTransitional objectsSelf-reflectiveSelf-awarenessCo-creationPerseveranceParticipatory processStructural barriersTotemic objectsThesis2016-10-07