LATINA WOMEN’S NARRATIVES THROUGH TESTIMONIOS AND AUTOHISTORIA-TEORÍA AS LITERACY PRACTICES: TRAUMA HEALING AND IDENTITY MAKING APPROACHES

Abstract

This narrative inquiry study explored the use of testimonios and autohistoria-teoría as literacy approaches with a group of Latina women. The purpose of the study was to use testimonios and autohistoria-teoría to mediate hard-lived experiences and nurture trauma healing from a human theorization perspective. In this research, testimonios was defined as a literacy form that allows the narrator to tell stories that convey larger socio-political issues, often in relation to contexts in which systematic oppressions are prevailing. Additionally, autohistoria-teoría was characterized as a literacy practice that allows the narrator to tell her life story while creating self-awareness and making personal and cultural connections. In this narrative inquiry study, data was collected from interviews, artifacts, field notes and journal entries. Data was initially organized using the Creswell and Poth (2016) Data Analysis Spiral and further analyzed using Clandinin and Conelly’s (2000) Three-dimensional Space Model for narrative inquiry. The three main themes identified from the collected data were: 1) English as a roadblock and a pathway, 2) divorce, and 3) isolation. In addition, the findings of this study revealed that participants used autohistoria-teoría and testimonios as a product and a process to revisit, to mediate, and to share their life experiences. Also, results of this narrative research suggested that participants used these literacy practices to negotiate their individual and collective identities, while connecting to themselves and others. Most importantly, the findings of this study indicated that participants used autohistoria-teoría and testimonios as a space that fosters healing from hard-lived experiences.