Description
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, people who identify as two or more races are currently the fastest growing population in the country. However, there is still little awareness of the impact that being multiracial in the United States has on one’s identity and sense of belonging. As such, this research set out to better understand the experiences and perceptions of multiracial young people in the U.S. To this end, I conducted ten hour-long semi-structured interviews and collected thirty responses to a short online survey. Preliminary data analysis indicates that people who identify as “mixed” often have a difficult time finding spaces outside of their family unit in which they feel culturally comfortable. Likewise, these individuals must learn to navigate society’s racialized perceptions of them, as their cultural identity is often different than how they appear to others. These feelings may cause them to feel like both an outsider in society and an imposter within their own racial groups. In a nation founded on, and still operating on, biological racism and racialized group membership, these research findings offer insight into the lived experiences and challenges of individuals who do not fall into just one racial category/box.
Navigating a Multiracial Identity
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, people who identify as two or more races are currently the fastest growing population in the country. However, there is still little awareness of the impact that being multiracial in the United States has on one’s identity and sense of belonging. As such, this research set out to better understand the experiences and perceptions of multiracial young people in the U.S. To this end, I conducted ten hour-long semi-structured interviews and collected thirty responses to a short online survey. Preliminary data analysis indicates that people who identify as “mixed” often have a difficult time finding spaces outside of their family unit in which they feel culturally comfortable. Likewise, these individuals must learn to navigate society’s racialized perceptions of them, as their cultural identity is often different than how they appear to others. These feelings may cause them to feel like both an outsider in society and an imposter within their own racial groups. In a nation founded on, and still operating on, biological racism and racialized group membership, these research findings offer insight into the lived experiences and challenges of individuals who do not fall into just one racial category/box.
Comments
Faculty Mentor: Meghan Donnelly