Russel Sage Foundation

Research on motherhood in the U.S. overwhelmingly focuses on white middle-class mothers, assumes mothers are the primary caretaker of their children, and downplays how social identities such as race and ethnicity inform approaches to mothering. Moreover, research on Latinx mothers and families focus primarily on immigrants and their children. As a result, little is known about how the second and later generations approach parenting once their families are established in the U.S. and no longer consider themselves immigrant families. Sociologist Chandra Reyna will examine native-born Latinx mothers’ experiences and approaches motherhood. She will conduct in-depth interviews to better understand how U.S.-based concepts of race complicate and inform how Latinx mothers engage in caregiving.