Raices y Resiliencia: A Podcast on Supporting Latinx Students with Trauma-Informed, Culturally Rooted Care in K-12 School Settings

Student’s Fears, Misunderstandings and Sadness

This episode of Raíces y Resiliencia examined how Latinx students’ silence, stillness, and sadness are often misunderstood as defiance or disengagement. Through the lenses of Trauma-Informed Care (SAMHSA, 2014) and Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth (2005), the episode reframes silence as a form of resilience, protection, and cultural wisdom. Link to reflection sheets: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MNg5hiSQ0-tb3W-k4tbUM7Ny9SIYEEkI?usp=share_link Link to references: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aiafHEh5mOBkftfkM2HgjwMd4d2XS-76?usp=share_link

Immigration Experiences and their Impact

In this episode of Raíces y Resiliencia, host Denise Valdez, LCSW, is joined by Shirley De León, a bilingual educator whose own  story shapes how she supports newcomer and Latinx students. Together they explore how immigration journeys influence trauma responses, classroom behavior, and family dynamics. Through real stories and reflection, Denise and Shirley unpack the emotional weight of language brokering, collective trauma, and school systems that may unintentionally retraumatize Latinx youth. Link to reflection sheets: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MNg5hiSQ0-tb3W-k4tbUM7Ny9SIYEEkI?usp=share_link Link to references: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aiafHEh5mOBkftfkM2HgjwMd4d2XS-76?usp=share_link

Centering Community Cultural Wealth

In this episode of Raíces y Resiliencia, host Denise Valdez, LCSW shifts the focus from trauma to strength by introducing Yosso's (2005) community cultural wealth, a framework that redefines how schools view Latinx students, families, and communities. Denise walks through the six forms of cultural capital and illustrates how each one reflects the resilience  and collective knowledge Latinx students carry into classrooms. Link to reflection sheets: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MNg5hiSQ0-tb3W-k4tbUM7Ny9SIYEEkI?usp=share_link Link to references: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aiafHEh5mOBkftfkM2HgjwMd4d2XS-76?usp=share_link

What is Trauma-Informed Care?

In this episode of Raíces y Resiliencia, host DENISE VALDEZ, LCSW unpacks what trauma-informed care (TIC) really means in school settings and what happens when it’s practiced through a race-neutral lens. Denise walks listeners through SAMHSA’s six guiding principles of TIC, discussing how each one can foster healing or cause harm depending on whether schools acknowledge race, culture, and systemic inequities. Link to reflection sheets: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MNg5hiSQ0-tb3W-k4tbUM7Ny9SIYEEkI?usp=share_link Link to references: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aiafHEh5mOBkftfkM2HgjwMd4d2XS-76?usp=share_link

Latinx- What Do We Mean and Why Does it Matter?

In this first episode of Raíces y Resiliencia, host DENISE VALDEZ, LCSW explores how language shapes identity, belonging, and power within Latinx communities. From the history of “Hispanic” to the term “Latinx,” she reflects on what these terms mean for students, families, and educators working toward more inclusive, trauma-informed schools. Link to reflection sheets: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MNg5hiSQ0-tb3W-k4tbUM7Ny9SIYEEkI?usp=share_link Link to references: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aiafHEh5mOBkftfkM2HgjwMd4d2XS-76?usp=share_link