The Development of Anti-Racism Among Ethnically and Racially Diverse Children and Youth

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Abstract

Developmental scholars have argued for the need to center racism in developmental science and better understand the development of anti-racism among children and adolescents from ethnically and racially diverse backgrounds (Cooper et al., 2022; Kornbluh et al., 2021; Seaton, 2022). Anti-racism includes “developing an awareness and understanding of racism, and how it operates across multiple systems and levels, as well as recognizing and challenging racist beliefs (implicit and explicit) and ideologies through sustained action” (Cooper et al., 2022, p. 620). Indeed, recent theoretical frameworks propose ethnic-racial identity development, recognition of racism, and anti-racist action–at multiple levels (Aldana et al., 2019)–as central to anti-racist development among children and adolescents (Bañales & Rivas-Drake, 2022; Hazelbaker et al., 2022). Few empirical studies, however, have examined these processes. This symposium addresses this gap by presenting empirical evidence exploring the development of anti-racism among children and adolescents from multiple ethnic-racial groups. Paper 1 highlights the school as a space for promoting Black and Latinx adolescent’s recognition of structural oppression (i.e., critical reflection) and in turn predicting engagement in anti-racist action. Paper 2 explores the utility of Critical Inquiry Groups for facilitating Latina adolescents’ ethnic-racial identity development, including their recognition of and resistance to oppression (i.e., sexism, racism). Paper 3 utilizes a longitudinal sample of White children and adolescents and explores their development of anti-racism, including their White racial identity development, understanding of racism, and ideas about anti-racist action. These studies contribute to our understanding of the development of anti-racism in childhood and adolescence.

Sub Unit

• Solicited Content: Anti-Racism Research or Interventions

Chair

• Taylor Hazelbaker, The College of St. Scholastica

Discussant

• Mariah Kornbluh, University of Oregon

Individual Presentations

• Critical Reflection as a Mediator in the Relationship Between School Racial Climate and Anti-Racist Critical Action - Presenting Author: Alexandrea Renee' Golden, University of Memphis; Christy Michelle Byrd, North Carolina State University

• Fostering Latina's Ethnic-Racial Identity at the Intersection of Race and Gender - Presenting Author: Bernardette Pinetta, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor; Deborah Rivas-Drake, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• A Longitudinal Examination of White Children’s Anti-Racist Development - Presenting Author: Taylor Hazelbaker, The College of St. Scholastica; Asya Harrison, California State University - Fullerton; Virginia W Huynh, California State University - Northridge; Cari Gillen-O'Neel, Macalester College