Lyrical Clapback: Using Hip-Hop Counterstories to Respond to Racial Microaggressions

• In Event: Youth Identity Making and Transgressing Spaces

Abstract

Many students of color, especially those at predominantly White institutions (PWI), experience racial microaggressions on a regular basis. Although thought to have minimal impact in isolation, microaggressions can have severe consequences when experienced consistently over time. Among these consequences are anxiety, decreased self-esteem, depression, and suicidal ideation which lead to racial battle fatigue. Using Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a framework, this paper shares the experiences of Black female students with racial microaggressions at a PWI. Data from this study suggest that there are three types of responses: Refrain, reframe, and reclaim. These responses are shared within this paper using hip-hop counterstories.

Keywords: racial microaggressions, Critical Race Theory, counterstories, Black college students

Author

• Angel Jones, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville