Servingness and Belonging in an Era of Extremism: Countering Bias at Hispanic-Serving Institutions

• In Event: MSI's in the Social Context of Education

Abstract

This study examines how students, faculty, staff, and administrators at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) understand the relationship between servingness, belonging, and the rise of racism and extremism. Using thematic analysis of interviews and focus groups, the research highlights how culturally grounded values—such as comunidad, familia, and cariño—are central to fostering inclusive campus environments. Participants expressed concern over increasing anti-Latinx sentiment and political attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), emphasizing the need for HSIs to move beyond symbolic gestures toward structural transformation. Grounded in frameworks of servingness, critical race theory, and cariño pedagogy, the findings underscore the urgency of institutional responses that center care, accountability, and anti-racist practice. This work contributes to scholarship on equity in higher education and offers actionable insights for HSIs navigating ideological threats while affirming Latinx cultural wealth.

Author

• Christian A. Bracho, California State University - Long Beach