Romo, HarriettMatthews, Jessica R.2023-12-132023-12-131996-05Matthews, J.R. (1996). Affirmative action and program participation: Vehicles of upward mobility among low income Hispanic women (Unpublished thesis). Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.https://hdl.handle.net/10877/17656This thesis is an exploratory study of participation in an adult educational and job training program among low income Hispanic women. Affirmative action policy, poverty policies, and women and work are discussed. The data examined were collected from one of twenty-six local projects that participated in a three year national evaluation of a Head Start adult education and training program. Three indicators of self-sufficiency were examined; 1) program participation, 2) benefits received, and 3) employment and job seeking activities. Affirmative action policies may not reach poor minorities since many low income minorities do not have the skills which would qualify them for jobs affected by such policies. Findings suggest that educational and job training programs may be an initial step toward moving low income minorities into a position where they have the opportunity to benefit from affirmative action policies.Text102 pages1 file (.pdf)enHispanic American womenemploymentHead Start programsoccupational mobilityaffirmative action programsThesis