Team Dialouge Paper

Running head: THE MULTIRACIAL EXPERIENCE 1

The Multiracial Experience:

Support for Identity Development in Higher Education

Jonathan Merrill and Lisa Rogers

Loyola University Chicago

Bridget T Kelly, 10/03/13,

Perfect cover page

THE MULTIRACIAL EXPERIENCE 2

Abstract

Multiracial identities were disenfranchised even before the creation of the United States

Constitution. Race in the United States is a social construct that systematically oppresses People

of Color and multiracial individuals. This oppression carries over into higher education.

Multiracial students in higher education often feel isolated because they struggle to figure out

where they fit within the construct of race. Higher education is lacking spaces and organizations

in which multiracial students can explore their racial identity. Institutions of higher education

should be educating faculty and staff and creating more formal opportunities in which identity

development can occur.

Keywords: race, multiracial, higher education, identity, identity development


Great work here; could also use abstract space to describe how paper is organized


“This separation of categories…tends to set up false dichotomies in which people often feel that

they have to choose one aspect of their identity over another”

(Kirk & Okazawa-Rey, 2013, p. 10)

How do institutions of higher education support the multiracial identity development of

college students? This paper addresses the need for concrete multiracial identity development

initiatives within institutions of higher education. We define multiracial students as those “who

have parents from more than one racial group” (Cuyet, Hamilton & Cooper, 2011, p. 191).

Monoracial students refer to those who identify with one race. Multiracial students often face

many challenges similar to People of Color; however, they may differ in terms of identity

development processes. The following concentrates on the history of multiracial people in the

United States as well as in higher education.

There is increasing evidence demonstrating that race, instead of being biologically

connected to physical traits, is based more on the social perceptions of physical traits. Smedley

(1998) observed race as a system that organizes individuals into a "…limited number of unequal

or ranked categories theoretically based on differences in their biophysical traits" (p. 693). In the

sixteenth century, the term “race” was used within the slave trade as a term similar to kind, type,

or breed and held no real significance to the population as a whole (Smedley 1998). From its

inception, race has been used as a separation tool. Smedley (1998) argued that the usage of race

became increasingly widespread as a means to further separate the colonial working class:

indefinitely enslaved Africans and poor European servants. Recognized by law, these European

servants, based solely on the color of their skin, were provided resources and benefits that further

separated them from African slaves. This system of social stratification has continued into

modernity and continues to sort individuals into groups based on physical features.


Today, stratification is systematically reflected in questionnaires designed to collect

demographic data, which are often used by institutions of higher education to gauge school

diversity. Founded in colonial ignorance, this system fails to adapt to the racial fluidity of

modern society. With increasing amounts of interracial marriages after its legalization in 1967,

the population of multiracial children grew significantly (Shih & Sanchez, 2009). As multiracial

children become students in higher education, they will encounter the barrier of monoracial

categorization, which fails to acknowledge their lived experience.

The One-Drop Rule

The One-Drop Rule is an oppressive manifestation of this emphasis on monoracial

categorization. Evans et al. (2010) argued “mixed-race identities challenge the traditional

perceptions of race to which U.S. society has adhered for centuries” (p. 303). The One-Drop

Rule dictated that if you had traceable amounts of “Blackness” in your family, you had no rights.

This illustrates that from the very beginning, multiracial people had little to no rights in the

United States because they were quickly identified as Black. Multiracial people were essentially

invisible to larger society because of this categorization as Black. According to Roth (2005), the

One-Drop Rule was made possible due to the exclusiveness of national policy that said an

individual could only have one race. The One-Drop Rule forced multiracial folks to only

identify as Black—the target race. Even if an individual could pass as White, they were denied

rights because they were seen as undeserving due to their Blackness.

The One-Drop Rule still exists in many ways today. Roth (2005) argued that in some

essence, the One-Drop Rule still exists because of how society forces multiracial people to

categorize themselves. Evans et al. (2010) in reference to U.M. Brown’s 2001 found that when

Black/White multiracial students were not given the opportunity to identify as bi- or multiracial,


Missing words here


Talk about negatively impacting one’s identity—do you remember the child from the doll experiment in yesterday’s video that said she is all mixed up with White and Black?


List all authors first time you cite


Citation here needed to support this assertion


One way you could have included “interaction with outside group” in historical part of paper would have been to talk to someone in Admissions about boxes students can check for race at LUC and how this changed or not over the years


the majority of students chose to identify as Black, instead of the privileged identity of White.

This study illustrates that the One-Drop Rule is prevalent in today’s group of college students.

Multiracial Students in Higher Education

In the 1990s multiracial students became visible and vocal on college campuses (Cuyjet,

Hamilton, & Cooper, 2011, p. 191). Until the 2000s, the United States Census made it

impossible to count multiracial individuals because there was no clear category to choose.

According to Wang and Buckner (2008), the 2000 United States Census showed that 6.8 million

U.S. citizens identified with more than one race.

In 2008, White students made up only 63 percent of all college students; a drop of nearly

20 percent since 1976 (Renn & Reason, 2013, p. 7). In addition to the growing number of target

racial groups, a larger number of college students identified as multiracial. In 2006, 7.3 percent

identified as multiracial compared to 1.3 percent in 1971 (Renn & Reason, 2013, p. 9).

The experiences of multiracial students are unique. Cuyet et al., (2011) suggest three

main themes in the experiences of multiracial students: desire to identify self rather than to be

placed in a category by others, the role of physical appearance in multiracial identity, and the

roles of peers and culture related to race (p. 193). In a review of the literature, physical

appearance is the major thread seen in multiracial identity development. A recurring experience

for many multiracial students is being asked “what are you?” (King, 2008, p. #). Cuyet et al.,

(2011) argued “the opportunity to self-identify may be reduced or made more challenging if

others make assumptions about the racial identities of biracial students” (p. 196). The “what are

you?” question forces multiracial students to prove their racial legitimacy. Paired with

minimizing identity, it is common for multiracial students to be automatically assigned to a


Only use page number for direct quote or statistics


Cite lit in past tense


To what? Finish thought here


Can now use Cuyjet et al. as you have already listed all authors before this citation


Avoid unnecessary words


Nice transition though all of your references are around White and Black and it does not acknowledge how other racial groups are impacted


monoracial category by their peers, prompting feelings of invisibility and isolation from those

who share their experience (King, 2008).

Sophie Zumout (personal communication, Sept. 27, 2013), a current Resident Director at

Loyola University Chicago, described her struggle to develop her own identity as Middle Eastern

woman. She sees herself receiving White privilege because of the way she is perceived by

others, despite feeling in her heart that she is a Person of Color. While she does not identify as

multiracial, she still faces a dichotomy between how she identifies herself versus how she is

defined by others. Even in her professional life today, she struggles to figure out in which group

she fits into and wonders if it is even all that important to choose one group.

Multiracial identity development is a more crucial issue in higher education as the

number of multiracial folks increases year by year. At Loyola University Chicago the number of

undergraduates self-identifying as multiracial increased from 1.5 percent to 3.5 percent between

the 2010 and 2011 academic year (Office of Institutional Research). As these numbers increase,

Loyola, as well as most other institutions, are not providing multiracial students with appropriate

spaces and mentorship for people who struggle with their racial identity.

Creating Spaces

Monoracial cultural groups alone may fail to provide the spaces necessary for multiracial

students to develop. Simon Hara (personal communication, Oct. 1, 2013), an advisor in Loyola

University Chicago's Office of First and Second Year Advising, reported difficulty entering into

Asian communities during his time at University of California, Santa Barbara because he did not

necessarily look Asian as defined by group standards. While this organization was welcoming to

all students, he perceived subtext that made him uncomfortable being in those spaces. This

experience also connects with Ashley Viager (personal communication, Sept. 28th, 2013), a


Need year you obtained this data or specific date if it was a personal communication


Was it difficult to find someone multiracial to interview?


When you put it this way it sounds as if the only legitimacy to her calling herself a person of color is internal—did you find literature to support that Middle Easterners are considered people of color?


Residential College Director at Washington University in St. Louis, who also struggled to enter

into Asian communities during her time as an undergraduate at Loyola. This sense of otherness

caused her to disengage from a community where she thought she would find support.

King (2008) argued "…the lack of cultural nuances accentuated student's differences and

made it difficult to fit into racial or ethnic spaces on college campuses" (p. 37). Another way of

interpreting this argument is that multiracial students, since they may not fit into monoracial

categories, use cultural tools in order to validate their presence in these spaces. Simon, when

entering into Asian communities, reflected on not having some of these tools. By not being able

to speak Japanese, he had a harder time proving that he belonged within those spaces.

Predominate student cultural groups, since they are targeted at monoracial individuals, may fail

to meet the needs of multiracial students because they are not inherently designed to address

those needs. In fact, multicultural student centers may not be associated as a resource for

multiracial students (Sophie Zumout, personal communication, Sept. 27, 2013). This is likely

because the large majority of services from multicultural centers are focused towards monoracial

groups.

As higher education continues to serve the needs of this growing population; institutions

need to create spaces that specifically focus on the identity development of these students. These

may include "…multiracial center[s] and resources, inclusive monoracial spaces and student

groups, multiracial spaces and student group" (Ashley Viager, personal communication, Sept.

28th, 2013). Affinity groups where multiracial students can explore their identity with their

peers can lead to incredibly powerful and transformative experiences (Simon Hara, personal

communication, Oct. 1, 2013). These spaces can deter feelings of isolation and can create a

feeling of belonging within the institution.


Excellent point


Need personal communication citation here


In addition to creating spaces, the literature emphasized the importance of visible

multiracial mentors, in the form of students, faculty, and staff. Sophie Zumout participated in

affinity spaces within the Department of Residence Life and had some difficulty. Since there

were no affinity spaces specifically for multiracial staff members, she was forced to choose one

part of her identity and forfeit the other. If we cannot support the development of our multiracial

staff members at an administrative level, how are we supposed to support this population of

students (Sophie Zumout, personal communication, Sept. 27, 2013)? King (2008) echoed this

sentiment, and recommended the “coming out” of multiracial staff and faculty in order to

increase visibility and awareness of multiracial individuals in higher education (p. 39). The

plethora of personal experiences noted above, provide evidence that multiracial identity

development is an issue pertinent to higher education administrators and students.

Personal Impact

Jonathan Merrill

This issue of multiracial identity intersects with my racial identity in both privileged and

disenfranchised ways: my Black identity falls into a monoracial category, but is also among the

targeted racial identities.

My privileged identity intersects with this issue in two ways: systematically and socially.

Blackness, while comprised of people from varying ethnicities, has been socially constructed as

a monoracial category thereby conforming to the larger system. Demographic and census

surveys will most likely include a race in which I am able to identify. Multiracial individuals are

often either forced to identify with one race, or must elect to pick and choose a couple boxes

which far from describes how they actually choose to identify. For multiracial individuals, I

cannot imagine the emotional distress or frustration with being forced to choose an identity that


only tangibly describes you. This example best exemplifies my monoracial privilege on a

systematic level.

I also physically fit into the social construct of Blackness in the sense that my skin is

dark. In other words, how I internally identified racially matches society’s perception of that

group. This is in contrast to the experiences of Sophie Zumout. While she internally identified as

a Person of Color, she was externally perceived as White (Sophie Zumout, personal

communication, Sept. 27, 2013). Due to this dissonance, she has struggled to find a foothold

between these two communities. Even though I was raised in a predominately White

neighborhood, I still fit into the Black community because I look the part. Therefore, no one has

ever questioned my race. Entering into Black communities, I never had to explain myself.

Conversely, multiracial individuals may not have this luxury. For example, I have seen

multiracial students with lighter skin tones compelled to justify their presence at community

events. This illuminates two further issues. First, having to constantly justify yourself may lead

to separating oneself from that community. Secondly, if there are no specific multiracial

communities within the institution, where can these students go? Ultimately, lack of a

community can create feelings of isolation.

Although my Black identity, which fits into the monoracial system and is subsequently

privileged; it is itself also an oppressed identity. I may physically fit into the Black racial

category, but my physical appearance may also lead to profiling. Despite physically fitting into a

racial category which corresponds to how I internally identify; I have had similar experiences to

multiracial individuals because of my upbringing in a predominantly White environment. While

my Blackness was not called into question because of my physical characteristics, it was instead

scrutinized for failing to fall into certain cultural norms.


Okay this somewhat contradicts what you said earlier about no one ever saying your weren’t Black—or are you saying the difference is you were not Black enough?


Yes, and this is what many monoracial students face as well (e.g. Latino students who do not speak Spanish and are not welcomed into the Latino club on campus) when they do not believe they fit into monoracial group of color or with White organizations


I find this interesting because it is so different from my experience, as I explained with METCO students not accepting me as Black enough (despite my dark skin) because of my speech, dress, and social class


Excellent job connecting to an agent identity within this topic


As a product of being the only Black individual in my classes for eighteen years, I spoke

in a way that differed from my extended family who presided in predominantly Black

communities. My White friends at school also called my apparent lack of Blackness into

question. I distinctly remember being referred to as an “Oreo - Black on the outside and White

on the inside.” My cultural dissonance reflects reports from multiracial students in King's (2008)

review of literature regarding their experience. Many students reported confusion as "…black

friends demanded that I act black and my white friends wanted me to act white" (King, 2008, p.

37). This points to the need for creating spaces within higher education where students can

explore their non-monoracial identities or experiences.

Lisa Rogers

I have little knowledge of the “multiracial experience.” As a White woman, I am

privileged via my race. The benefits I have are two-fold; I receive benefits as a White person,

but I also receive benefits by being able to fit neatly into a category.

Being White gives me inherent privileges; I do not have to worry about being judged

negatively by society on the basis of my skin tone. When people meet me, they are likely to

recognize my skills and other features before they consider the color of my skin. This is unlike

the experiences of many People of Color; often they are judged on the basis of their skin and

judge me poorly because of negative experiences with other White folks. It is important to

recognize that rarely do the judgments of People of Color impact my life because of the little

racial privilege they carry.

I also benefit from being able to fit into a category. Rarely do people mistake my racial

identity; if someone identified me, they would describe me as a White woman, which is in line

with how I identify. This is contrasted with Sophie Zumout’s experience of constantly being


Or power—hence the point that was made last night; people of color as a social group do not have power in this country so they can be prejudiced, bigoted and discriminate against their own and other racial groups, but they cannot be classified as racists because racism involves systemic, not individual, power


I thought you were going to describe how Black identity is oppressed in higher education with things such as not belonging at an institution that is designed for White students


misidentified by others; she identifying as a Person of Color while others tend to identify her as

White (personal communication, Sept. 27, 2013). It is a privilege to check a box on an

application without a second thought because my box is available. Rarely is there the option to

check more than one box. Often the only option they have is to select bi- or multiracial; for

some the category of multiracial may fit, but for others it may dismiss their true identity.

I do not have a target racial identity, but I do carry the target identity of being a woman.

Liked multiracial students, I have been put into a box and told how a woman should act. This

comes out because I play golf—a male dominated sport. In golf there are three to four sets of

tees to start off each hole. The forward tees are known as the “ladies” tees. I never thought

about what the “ladies” tees meant until one day I decided to play from a different tee box. I was

setting up for my tee shot when the golf pro (a man) came up to me, pointed down the tee box

and said “the ladies tees are up there.” I said, “Yes, I know” and proceeded as I had. Even

though I had broken into a male-dominated sport, I was still being pigeonholed into the narrow

description of being a “woman.”

Like me being told how a woman should behave, multiracial individuals are constantly

defined by how society perceives them. Perceptions of others greatly impact one’s sense of self

and identity as discussed earlier in this paper. In working with students in the future, I can use

my target identity experiences to further relate and empathize with multiracial students

struggling with their identity.

Implications for Professional Practice

We have very different experiences because of our racial identities, however we are both

privileged greatly because of them. We both have monoracial identities: Black and White.

Because of our monoracial identities, we both have a box to check on applications and we do not


Excellent work relating your identities to multiracial identity development


Or inferior position as a woman at a male-dominated golf course; thus he was being sexist and you were going against the grain and not taking the path of least resistance


Yes, this is an unearned entitlement because everyone should have access to check a box on a U.S. Census that fits with how they identify


have to worry that someone may mistake us for an identity that is not our own. Additionally, we

both have identities that are represented by student groups and organizations on college

campuses, which is not the case for many multiracial students.

We recognize that we both carry different identities that will inform how we interact with

multiracial students. Lisa, coming from a racially privileged lens will work with multiracial

students through a lens of learning. She recognizes that her privilege impacts her work with

students and though she can support students in their development, she is unable to directly relate

to lived experiences. Through creating a supportive and understanding environment, Lisa will be

able to better support the students with which she works. Jon, while he may share some

experiences with multiracial students, also recognizes that he comes from a racially privileged

lens. With this mix, he is able to empathize with this population of students and use his

experience to make connections. Additionally, as an individual who identifies monoracially, he

is able to connect his journey of identification with other monoracial students and to create

inclusive spaces.

As Assistant Resident Directors in Residence Life at Loyola University Chicago, we have

the opportunity to work with a variety of students on a daily basis. Our major goal is to create a

space, as discussed earlier in this paper, in which multi- and monoracial students feel

comfortable talking about life experiences and exploring their identity. We hope to validate and

support our students through empathetic and developmental conversations that foster further

understanding of racial identity.

Because of our privileges and position at the University, we are able to advocate for the

needs of disenfranchised student groups, including multiracial students. We hope to advocate for

the creation of multiracial spaces and organizations within Loyola as well as institutions we may


Excellent work analyzing your experiences as a collective


work at in the future. We can use our privileges, position, and research to educate fellow

administrators in Residence Life and the Division of Student Development on the need for

further development of the services we provide multiracial students at Loyola University

Chicago.

In conclusion, the field of student affairs can do more to support multiracial students

within institutions of higher education. As professionals in the field we are fighting a battle of

racism that is steeped in U.S. history and ingrained in everything we do. We must advocate for

and support our multiracial students through providing spaces for identity development to

happen, whether through creating multiracial student organizations or mentorship. Invisibility

and isolation are potential consequences of not providing spaces for multiracial identity

development. Unfortunately, this could result in lower retention of these students. As student

affairs professionals, we are responsible for creating an environment that is conscious of student

needs so we can fully support them and their development.


WOW! You two knocked this out of the park. This is the first paper completed since I tweaked the assignment and it was right on track with my expectations. May I use this as a sample for future students?Best- Bridget


References

Cuyet, M.J., Howard-Hamilton, M.F., & Cooper, D.L. (2011). Multiculturalism on campus:

Theory, models, and practices for understanding diversity, and creating inclusion.

Virginia: Stylus Publishing.

Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., Guido, F.M., Patton, L.D.,& Renn, K.A. (2010). Student

development in college: Theory, research, and practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

King, A.R. (2008). Student perspectives on multiracial identity. New Directions For Student

Services (123), 33-41.

Kirk, G. & Okazawa-Rey, M. (2013). Who am I? Who are my people? In Adams, M. et al.

(Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd edition, pp. 8-14). New York:

Routledge.

Office of Institutional Research (2011, 2012). Common data set [data file]. Retrieved from

http://www.luc.edu/diversity/resources/demographics/.

Renn, K. & Reason, R. (2013). College students in the united states: Characteristics,

experiences, and outcomes. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Roth, W. D. (2005). The end of the one-drop rule? Labeling of multiracial children in black

intermarriages. Sociological Forum, 20, 35-67.

Shih, M. & Sanchez, D. T. (2009). When race becomes even more complex; Toward

understanding the landscape of multiracial identity and experiences. Journal of Social

Issues, 65(1), 1-11.

Smedley, A. (1998). “Race” and the construction of human identity. American Anthropologist,

100(3), 690-702.


Wong, M.A. & Buckner, J. (2008). Multiracial student services come of age: The state of

multiracial student services in higher education in the United States. New Directions For

Student Services (123), 43-51.

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