Exploring Ways Institutions Can Enhance Programming to Support Multiracial College Students Your Facilitators Melissa Sinclair MEd Transfer Student Program Director University of California Los Angeles ID: 580203
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Slide1
The Multiracial Perspective
Exploring Ways Institutions Can Enhance Programming to Support Multiracial College StudentsSlide2
Your Facilitators
Melissa Sinclair, M.Ed.
Transfer Student Program Director
University of California Los Angeles
Filipino/White
Sarah Kutten, M.Ed.Student Organization AdvisorPortland State UniversityGhanaian/White
Sara Coney
Graduate StudentCalifornia State University, FullertonFilipino/WhiteSlide3
Learning Outcomes
Describe the
historical and societal context
of multiracial identification in the United States
Identify common
needs and challenges
of multiracial students on college campusesAnalyze and apply theoretical approaches
to understand multiracial college student experiences
Utilize student engagement strategies to create an inclusive campus environment for multiracial college students Slide4
Who is in the Room? Slide5
Historical Background
1924: One Drop Rule
1967: Loving v. Virginia
2000: Statistical Directive 15 takes effect on US CensusSlide6
Context
8.9 million
(2.9% of total population)
Increase of 32% since 2000 Census
Multiracial population is the fastest growing youth group in the country!Slide7
Needs & Challenges
“Which boxes do I check?”
“What are you?” and other microaggressions
Navigating racially and ethnically focused student servicesSlide8
Factor Model of Multiracial Identity (FMMI)
Qualitative study of multiracial black/white adults by Charmaine Wijeysenighe (2001).
FMMI consists of 8 factors that affect choice of racial identity of multiracial people.
The factors help shed light on multiracial peoples’ experiences on how and why they choose a range of racial identities.
Many factors in FMMI have an overlapping relationship, and a person’s choice of racial identitiy can be based on some (not all) of these factors. Slide9
FMMI - The 8 Factors (Wijeyesinghe, 2001)
Racial Ancestry
Defined
as the racial groups reflected in an individual’s ancestors.
Early Experience & Socialization
Exposure to family, community, and social institutions creates a system of socialization which can have strong effort on choice of racial identity
Cultural Attachment Aspects of culture that multiracial people are exposed to; experiences in childhood and throughout life. Physical Appearance Characteristics such as skin color and tone, hair color and texture, eye color and shape, size and shape of facial features, and body structure.
Social & Historical Context
Individual and societal responses to social and historical events affect identity.
Political Awareness and Orientation
Claiming
a particular identity, whether multiracial or monoracial, can take on meaning as a political act or statement.
Spirituality
Can
provide a source of strength; refuge from racism; sustain individuals through the process of racial identity development; derive greater meaning from racial ancestry or identity.
Other Social Identities
Gender
, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic classSlide10
Application of Ecological Systems Theory
(Bronfenbrenner, 1979)
Person
Family background and parents’ heritage
Degree of cultural knowledge transmitted to the student before college
Prior experiences with members of their own and other cultural groups
Physical appearanceProcess“What are you?” questionsCurriculum or programming focused on diversity, race, culture, identity, etc.
Context
Environments and face-to-face interactionsE.g., student organizations, demographic sections on institutional forms, etc.TimeSociohistorical development of the concept of raceSlide11
Ecological Theory of Mixed Race Development (Renn, 2000)
Monoracial Identity
Identify
with a single, monoracial identity from among their heritage groups
Multiple Monoracial Identities
Alternate between or among heritage groupsMultiracial Identity
Biracial, multiracial, mixed race, or other representations of multiple heritage groupsExtraracial Identity Choose not to identify with any racial categorization or reject racial classification system altogetherSituational
Identity Shift identification based on the situation, circumstances, environment, etc.Slide12
Promising Practices - Portland State
Enrollment and Student Retention Services
Academic Course - “The MultiRacial Experience”
Staff Professional Development
Cultural Resource Centers
MultiRacial ProgrammingSlide13
Promising Practices - UCLA’s Mixed Student Union
“
I feel that Mixed Student Union is important at UCLA because, just as other cultural organizations, we need a place on campus for students of mixed ethnicity to
feel comfortable
and come together and MSU provides just that. It's
hard to toggle between races
at times, and we aim to find a place where students can come together being mixed, and not feel the need to choose. “ - Jamika Martin ‘18, Business Economics
“We are not only a
safe-space to share the feelings and complexities of the mixed experience in higher education, but also a community to have these experiences together. Addressing the big issues
that accompany identifying as a minority (such as racial stereotypes, prejudicial treatment, microaggressions and fetishizing) is an important aspect of our group. But sometimes, it's just comforting to share your day with people who
understand your perspective
. “ - Sage Sims ‘18, Nursing Slide14
UCLA’s Mixed Heritage Conference
Past Discussion Topics:
Guest Speaker:
Dr. Paul Spickard, “Not-Passing--Shape Shifting: Reflections on Racial Plasticity”
Workshop 1:
Mental Health in the Mixed Community
Workshop 2: How to Connect with Anyone: BIG TALK & The 100% Mixed Show
Guest Speaker: Dr. Teresa Williams-Leon, “Shades of Race: Multiraciality & It’s Many Ways of Being”
Slide15
Promising Practices - MRKC
Student organizations
Discussion and support groups
Cultural and social programming
Physical space
Audit of campus policies and procedures Slide16
Stay Connected! Slide17
References
Humes, K. R., Jones, N. A., & Ramirez, R. R. (2011). Overview of race and Hispanic origin: 2010.
2010 Census Briefs
. U.S Department of Commerce. Washington,
DC: U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau.
Ozaki, C. C., & Renn, K. A. (2015). Engaging multiracial college students. In S. J. Quaye & S. R. Harper (Eds.),
Student Engagement in Higher Education (91-104).
New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.
Renn, K. A. (2000). Patterns of situational identity among biracial and multiracial college students. The Review of Higher Education, 23(4), 399-420.
Renn, K. A. (2003). Understanding the identities of mixed-race college students through a developmental ecology lens.
Journal of College Student Development, 44
,
383-403. DOI: 10.1353/csd.2003.0032
Renn, K. A. (2008). Research on biracial and multiracial identity development: Overview and synthesis.
New Directions for Student Services, 128
, 13-21.
Saulny, S. (2011, March 24). Census data presents rise in multiracial population of youths.
The New York Times
. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/us/25race.html?_r=0
Wijeyesinghe, C. L. (2001). Racial identity in Multiracial people: An alternative paradigm. In C.L. Wijeyesinghe, C. L. & B.W. Jackson III (Eds.),
New perspectives on
racial identity development: A theoretical and practical anthology
(129-152). New York, NY and London: New York University Press.