Voice of the voiceless? Multiethnic student voices in critical approaches to race, pedagogy, literacy and agency

•Critical race, ethnic studies, and sociocultural theory are used to examine K-12 student voices.•Classroom teaching, parent engagement and community organizing are discussed.•Asian American, multiethnic and ‘mixed race’ contexts help challenge race, culture and achievement paradigms.•Student cultural, linguistic and literacy practices are built upon toward transformative outcomes.•9 years of data are used to inform more dynamic and sustainable approaches toward educational equity.

In this article, the author utilizes critical and sociocultural approaches to race, language and culture to examine the intersectional experiences of a multiethnic and ‘mixed race’ cohort of students in an inner-city, working-class neighborhood between their elementary and high school years. This article examines the students’ experiences in a nine-year educational process focused on critical pedagogy, sociocultural learning, and community engagement in and out of classrooms. More specifically, the article looks at interview, participant observation, and narrative data with a Latina/o and Asian American male student, and an Asian American female student, and how they made sense of their experiences over time with regards to issues of race, pedagogy, literacy, and agency.