Community College Leadership Commons^™

A Hierarchy Of Environmental Design For Latin* Men At Pwis, Hermen Díaz Iii

New York Journal of Student Affairs

To understand the transaction between the environment and students, this study examines a Latin* cultural center in facilitating community and sense of belonging for Latino men at a predominantly White institution (PWI). This study used critical race theory, specifically LatCrit to interrogate Strange and Banning’s (2015) hierarchy of environmental design. Findings nuanced the understanding and experience of community, engagement and safety of Latino men within a racialized space at a PWI. Implications for practice are discussed to better understand how Latin* cultural center environments contribute to the behavior and experience of Latino men.