Two New Publications by Chandra D. L. Waring, SWS Member.
“We are Going to be the New White [People]:” Multiracial Americans Envision the Future.
As the multiracial population continues to rise, research on this population has expanded. Although multiracial people are often referred to as the future face of America, there are no empirical studies that centre how multiracial individuals themselves envision the future of race relations, given their unique racial vantage point. I analyse how 23 multiracial people of different racialized ancestries, although all have white ancestry, envision the future of race relations in the United States. Most participants anticipated negative race relations due to the lack of current impactful institutional initiatives that would facilitate meaningful change. Many participants predicted a nuanced perspective, yet they echoed the significance of systemic shifts for real change to unfold. Fewer participants offered positive predictions that were rooted in individualism. I consider the implications of these findings in a society that often proclaims a positive racial future, in part, due to the multiracial population.
To view the full article, visit: https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2023.2215313
“Be Confident,” “Creative,” and “Careful”: Advice from Multiracial Adults.
As the U.S. and international multiracial populations have increased, so has research in this area. Despite a multitude of studies about the unique struggles of being multiracial, little empirical data has been published about specific strategies that multiracial individuals use to navigate a monoracial (single-race)-oriented society. In this article, I offer insights and suggestions to cope with discrimination involving family, friends, and others from 28 multiracial Americans with various racial backgrounds, although all participants have white ancestry. In advising their younger self and/or the next generation of multiracial people, participants suggested cultivating confidence, resilience, and assertiveness to withstand the onslaught of marginalization that multiracial people endure. Other respondents recommended creatively engaging with media to actualize affirmation, connection, and consciousness to generate space between themselves and others’ perceptions of them. White-presenting participants proposed being careful about sharing their backgrounds, considering they are frequently questioned. This article offers strategies to navigate being multiracial in a racially tumultuous society that was designed by and for monoracial citizens.
Please click here to view the full article: Waring 2023 Advice from Multiracial Adults