Intergenerational Identity Theory: Through the lens of the San Antonio Mission Descendants

San Antonio Mission descendants' identity is dynamically shaped by intergenerational memory, inherited stories, and colonial systems, challenging fixed notions of ancestry. Intergenerational Identity Theory, developed from Rudy De la Cruz's framework, reveals that identity emerges through lived experience, survival strategies, and silence, rather than being solely inherited or imposed. This study highlights how descendants navigate narratives of missionization, Mexican and Mexican American identity, and federal recognition while resisting the erasure of Coahuiltecan peoples. Through oral histories and community engagement, it demonstrates that healing, reclamation, and self-definition are ongoing forms of Indigenous survival.

Lasky, J. K. (2026). Intergenerational Identity Theory: Through the lens of the San Antonio Mission Descendants. Brandeis University. https://doi.org/10.48617/ETD.1565