In a State of Becoming: How Institutions Communicate Asian American and Pacific Islander- and Latinx-Servingness Through Campus Artifacts

Abstract


 
 
 This study examines the ways campus artifacts communicate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)- and Latinx-servingness at dually designated Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Using critical ethnographic methods, the researchers collected data at three AANAPISI- HSIs regionally concentrated in a western state. Findings from this study reveal that the campus environments of the three institutions were in a state of flux and are captured through two interconnected themes that emerged from the data: striving to become and undermining progress towards becoming. This study has implications for understanding how AANAPISI-HSIs communicate AAPI- and Latinx-servingness through campus artifacts.
 
 

“Whenever I see those little rainbow stickers, I know that there is a place you can go”: Visibility and sense of belonging for queer and/or trans community college students.

“…While not within the community college context, there are several studies that revealed how imagery, visual representation, and physical artifacts impact students' belonging (Alcantar et al, 2022(Alcantar et al, , 2020 This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers.…”

“…They posit the importance of institutions to contend with what symbols communicate about who they value, who belongs, and what is communicated in terms of DEI commitments. These studies postulate that physical artifacts within higher education systems must (re)create physical and symbolic spaces to understand how such structures communicate belongingness (Alcantar et al, 2022(Alcantar et al, , 2020Yi et al, 2022).…”

“…Paulina and Lacey mentioned that having role models like Janet Mock and Marsha P. Johnson is critical in creating not just a safe space but a developmental space for identity exploration (Acuff, 2011;Alcantar et al, 2020;McInroy & Craig, 2017). Noting that the literature shared how community colleges often lack PRIDE centers (Á. D. J.…”

“…While not within the community college context, there are several studies that revealed how imagery, visual representation, and physical artifacts impact students’ belonging (Alcantar et al, 2022, 2020; Banning et al, 2008). Physical artifacts refer to those objects we as people create, place cultural significance, and position within educational contexts that communicate and signal messages of campus value and worth (Banning and Bartels, 1997; Banning et al, 2008).…”

Civic Engagement of Latinx Students: The Role of Higher Education Institutions in Serving the Public Good

“…HSIs, community colleges, and higher education institutions in minority-majority states, such as those presented in this article, are not all alike and do not always use culturally responsive approaches to “serve” Latinx students (Garcia et al, 2019; Garcia & Okhidoi, 2015). Scholars have found significant variation in HSIs in the campus cultures, practices, and commitments to Latinx students and communities (Alcantar et al, 2020; Garcia et al, 2019; Núñez et al, 2016).…”