Cultura y Corazón is a research approach and practice that is rooted in the work of Latinx and Chicanx scholars and intellectuals. The book documents best practices for Community Based and Participatory Action Research (CBPAR), which is both culturally attuned and scientifically demonstrated. This methodology takes a decolonial approach to engaging community members in the research process and integrates critical feminist and indigenous epistemologies.

Cultura y Corazón presents case studies from the authors’ work within the fields of education and health. It offers key strategies to working in partnership with marginalized Latinx communities that are grounded in deep respect for the communities’ cultures and lived experiences. This book is intended for students, researchers, and practitioners who want to work with vulnerable populations through a community-based approach that truly respects and integrates culture, values, and funds of knowledge.
 

Rosa Manzo is an interdisciplinary researcher focused on addressing health and education disparities in rural communities.

Lisceth Brazil-Cruz in an interdisciplinary researcher focused on understanding access to health and education in Latinx communities.

Yvette G. Flores is a clinical psychologist, professor, and researcher, who bridges psychology and Chicanx/Latinx health.

Hector Rivera-Lopez is a clinical psychologist with more than forty-seven years of experience.
 

“This book is a significant and unique contribution to social science research on Latinx populations. Scholarship in methodological approaches to community engagement tends not to engage with intangibles in the research process like pouring one’s ‘corazón’ into the community that one is working with and getting to know the culture(s) in a way that fosters trust and elevates the voices of community members. This makes this book very unique in its willingness to ‘go there,’ to speak of those things that truly create partnerships for the betterment of the lives of marginalized people, empowering them to implement their strengths and to take charge of their healing and growth.”—Rebecca Martinez, University of Missouri

“Cultura y Corazón is a book we have all been waiting for. Deliberate in its descriptions of how to do ethical community engaged participatory research, the authors provide an excellent model for anyone serious about changing the way we work WITH communities of color. This is mandatory reading for researchers who are invested in providing a symbiotic relationship with communities of color and who no longer abide by helicopter culture-vulture approaches in research relationships.”—Sujey Vega, author of Latino Heartland: Of Borders and Belonging in the Midwest