Aula en la Montaña: Deconstructing Coloniality in Childhood Through Community Action

Coloniality has had profound intergenerational effects on family child rearing practices and child development. This is particularly true in Puerto Rico, where people have faced more than five hundred years of colonial oppression. The influence of colonial structures and practices has impacted school and community traditions of mutual caring and support and our connection with the environment. Hence, there is need for decolonial approaches that reclaim culture, community, mutual care and environmental connections. This chapter presents a project in the mountains of southwest Puerto Rico called Aula en la Montaña. Aula en la Montaña is a project of a non governmental community organization (NGO) guided by a decolonial lense to provide educational and socioemotional support to children affected by poverty, austerity, and lack of access to services. Rooted in children’s voices, it includes afro-traditional music, agroecology, physical activity, acompañamiento, tutoring, and other educational supports. An analysis of the decolonial components of Aula en la Montaña is provided and outcomes are presented.