Racial Microaffirmations and Campus Climate: Experiences of Black and Latinx Students

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 3
  In Roundtable Session: Latinxs in Higher Education: A Contentious or Positive Climate

Abstract

Informed by Critical Race and LatCrit theory, this paper explores positive experiences related to racial identities as expressed through microaffirmations – the actions, comments or environmental cues that recognize students’ racial identities, validate their racialized realities, resist racism, or advance cultural and ideological norms of racial justice. Drawing on a narrative interview study with Black, Latinx and multiracial students at two predominantly white universities, I describe the different types of microaffirmations that students experienced. I also show three ways that microaffirmations shaped students’ perspectives of campus racial climate including infusing a sense of hope and possibility, nurturing their sense of belonging in campus “homeplaces” and promoting students’ sense of agency to address campus racial dynamics.

Author

• Rosalie Rolon-Dow, University of Delaware