Using a social capital framework, the aim of this study was to examine the role of significant relationships in the academic experiences of Mexican American college students. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 students and 12 of the individuals in their lives who were considered important sources of support. Grounded theory was used to analyze data and various steps, such as member-checking, were taken to enhance the credibility of findings. Parents, peers, siblings, extended family members, and unrelated adults supported these students academically. Parents were the most frequently cited sources of support and played a significant role in motivating students in their education. However, because parents’ relatively low educational status limited the kind of support they could provide, students also benefited from nonparental sources of support. There were five forms of support (e.g., emotional support, cognitive guidance) used to guide students in eight aspects of school life (e.g., college application process, classes). Implications for education and support programs are discussed.

Racism and White supremacy culture shape the experiences of youth and adults in mentoring programs, which is detrimental to the development of BIPOC youth. The aims of this paper are to a) show why anti-racism training and education for adult mentors is necessary for promoting the positive development of BIPOC youth and b) offer a framework for anti-racist education and training for mentors. We review research showing how mentors’ attitudes about race, ethnicity and culture can harm their relationships with BIPOC youth and research on general mentor training, anti-racism training for mentors, and general diversity and anti-bias training in the workplace. Crossing disciplinary boundaries to inform developmental science, we draw upon critical mentoring, culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy, and ethnic/racial identity frameworks, and propose four components for anti-racist education and training for mentors: a) acknowledging, confronting, and interrupting racism, b) facilitating youth critical consciousness, c) supporting positive identity development in youth, and d) mentors and mentees as active agents and partners. At the foundation of these pillars is decentering and interrupting Whiteness and youth as co-constructors of knowledge. We offer suggestions for future research and practice in anti-racism training for mentors, which also have implications for youth-adult relationships across settings.