2025 Theses Doctoral

Nepantleras in the Midwest: The Decent Work of Latina Immigrant Manufacturers

Gomez, Sandra Natalie

Latine populations in the Midwestern United States significantly grew in the 1990s (Suro & Singer, 2002). Low cost of living and employment opportunities (i.e., Manufacturing) were a primary driving force for migration to the Midwest, especially to rural communities (Williams et al., 2022; Delgadillo et al., 2022; Aponte & Siles, 1994). Latina immigrants employed in manufacturing sectors confront multifaceted challenges, including sexism, classism, exploitation, biased immigration enforcement, and both mental and physical abuse in stringent working conditions (Ramos, Carvajal-Suarez, et al., 2021).

With a limited number of empirical studies on the experiences of Latina manufacturers and the need to understand their access to decent work, this study aimed at examining the intersectionality of gender, race, immigration, contextual and cultural factors (both supportive and barriers), work volition, and how these influence access to decent work. The study integrated the Psychology of Working Theory (Duffy et al., 2016) and Anzaldúa’s (1987, 2007) feminist concept, "Borderlands,” to understand how Latina manufacturers gain or are denied access to decent work. Duffy et al. (2016) underscored the imperative of articulating a psychologically informed definition of "decent work", emphasizing workers' perspectives; therefore, a Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) methodology was employed to examine the influence of vocational obstacles and cultural strengths on work volition and the attainment of decent work.

Eight key domains emerged: (1) Experiences of Migration and its Challenges and, (2) Cultural Values and Acculturation, (3) Navigating Unknown Systems, (4) Support Systems and Community Networks, (5) Barriers to Decent Work, (6) Workplace Dynamics and Professional Development, (7) Resilience and Resistance, and (8) Quality of Life and Well-Being. These domains revealed how participants made meaning of their labor experiences and how cultural strengths, vocational agency, and structural barriers converged to either support or hinder access to decent work. This study highlighted the emotional, economic, and relational stakes of manufacturing work and positions participants as nepantleras.