Belonging, racializing, and placemaking in student organizations for multiracial student leaders

Abstract

This qualitative intersectional narrative inquiry examined how Multiracial college students find sense of belonging in student organizations by negotiating multiple racial identities and locations in traditionally monoracial spaces. Multiracial students sought membership in organizations because they felt invisible at their institutions. To find belonging within student communities, they engaged in a difficult process of placemaking in which they experienced monoracism and other racialized microaggressions within student organizations. In time, they developed a sense of belonging by curating a small cohort of friends connected through their organizational involvement. These findings reveal implications that further inform approaches for student involvement professionals and others who work with Multiracial students to increase their support and engagement across involvement contexts.