Understanding Intersecting Identities:

The Invisible MinorityKellie M. Dixon, North Carolina A&T State University

Amy Fitzjarrald, University of Houston

Monday, March 13, 2017Convention Center, ROOM#

Who is facilitating today?Ms. Kellie M. Dixon has over five years of Student Affairs Administration experience in the areas of residential education, conduct, multicultural education, student organization advisement, and assessment. She is currently a Doctoral Candidate at Grand Canyon University, conducting research in student affairs assessment, and expected to graduate in Summer 2017. In her current role, Kellie serves as the Assessment Coordinator for 26 units in the Division of Student Affairs at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

Ms. Amy Fitzjarrald is in her fourth year as a student affairs practitioner. Amy serves as the coordinator for retention and student success within the University of Houston’s Student Housing and Residential Life department. Prior to joining the University of Houston, she worked in residence life at Illinois State University. Amy is enrolled in Educational Administration and Foundations PhD program at Illinois State University and is expected to graduate in December 2018. Amy also serves on the NPGS board for the NASPA Journal About Women in Higher Education.

IcebreakerWhat type of institution are you currently working at?

Does the type of institution you work at affect how you interact with students? If so, why?

List types of institutions ● Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI)● Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)● Small, private, liberal arts● Religiously affiliated● Medium-large, public PWI● Community college● Tier 1 Research ● Single Sex Institutions ● Tribal Colleges

Tell me what you know about this person...

Tell me what you know about this person...

Tell me what you know about this person...

“The realest thing I can say is that I am unapologetically Mulatto. Mulatto. It is a word that can sound like nails on a chalkboard to some, and is often regarded as an offensive, antiquated term. But for me, this is the singular word in the entire English lexicon that describes who I am. If you Google the word, it appears as such:

Mulatto (dated offensive) - Noun a person of mixed white and black ancestry, especially a person with one white and one black parent.

Racially, this is the only word I have to claim as my own which describes my identity. Born to a Black father and a white mother, my pale skin, freckles, thick natural afro, and my wide nose, I wear the features of my parents. A perfect mix. However, there are other aspects of my identity unseen to the untrained eye. I am also a staunch liberal and feminist who will attend any march in the name of social justice that my Volvo can drive me to. I struggle to find a balance between my conflicting loves of God and the universe. As someone who loves taboo language, worldly pleasures, and believes in the power of the stars, I struggle to reconcile my not-so-faithful ideologies with that of the word of God. Moreover, at first glance I appear to be feminine woman: I have a love of makeup, dresses, and heels. On the surface my identity as a pansexual woman is not worn on my sleeve, but must be uncovered. These are just a few of the many things that make up my all encompassing identity, but the important thing to gauge from this excerpt of my life is that the things that make us “us” are both visual and intrinsic.”

Diversity & Inclusion on Campus

What is currently being done on campuses?-Diversity programming; centers; offices

Multicultural Center VS. Office of Diversity & Inclusion

-Naming is important

“Diversity Is Being Invited to the Party; Inclusion Is Being Asked to Dance”

Intersectionality

Intersectionality – the theory of how different types of discrimination interact

• Kimberle Crenshaw• Identities That Commonly Face Discrimination

– Women– Racial and Ethnic/Nationality Minorities– LGBTQ– Varying Religions

• Role of Microaggressions

Invisible Minority

Who is the “invisible minority”?● No longer just the Asian Americans● The student you don’t see because you prefer to see only their outer appearance● You can’t tell who a student is just by looks

How are we providing “unseen students” a sense of belonging? • Are we truly providing a ‘holistic’ experience for ALL students? Or are we

providing experiences based on what we assume to see and know about our students?

Various aspects of an individual● Gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, religion, etc.

https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story

Activity: Johari Window

Time to collaborate!

Discussion Questions• How long have you been at your institution and how have

you seen the demographics of the institution change?• What are you currently doing at your institution to address

intersectionality of students? ● How do we go beyond the overuse or limited use of Diversity

and Inclusion/Multicultural Affairs offices?○ Finding diversity programming, etc. within other areas to

build on developing the whole student (despite which office they are currently in)

Shortcomings of Current Efforts

• Expect that our colleagues of color (or those part of a minority group) will handle the incidents (for free, emotionally, mentally, financially)• Don’t go beyond the surface• Don’t recognize the work already being done• Don’t invite those who will use the

services/programs into the planning conversations

What Can You Do?

• Recognize the work of your peers• Ask that “diversity/inclusion” be a pillar of performance

evaluations• Recruit, hire, and retain faculty/staff of color (and other

minority groups) to represent your campus population• Create a diversity/inclusion and incident reporting training

be implemented as a requirement• Develop a diversity/inclusion curriculum• Show up for your students - attend student ran rallies,

wear shirts with statements, challenge privilege and oppression in classrooms/programs - don’t be a bystander

Closing Remarks

• Questions or Comments?

References

• Crenshaw, K. (1989). “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics,” University of Chicago Legal Forum: Vol. 1989: Iss. 1, Article 8. Retrieved online from: http://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/uclf/vol1989/iss1/8

• Sumi, C., Crenshaw, K. W., & McCall, L. (2013). Toward a field of intersectionality studies: theory, applications, and praxis. Journal Of Women In Culture & Society, 38 (4), 785-810. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259713125_Toward_a_Field_of_Intersectionality_Studies_Theory_Applications_and_Praxis

Thank you for joining us today!

Please remember to complete your customized online evaluation following

the conference.

See you in Philly in 2018!