Exploring the Challenges of Biracial & Multiracial Latino/as in the U.S.

This research project aims to inform about the challenges that biracial/multiracial Latino/as face growing up in the United States. The U.S. has historically maintained a monoracial view of race, in contrast to Latin America, which embraces “mestizaje,” or “race-mixing,” and the existence of races of multiracial individuals. These differing views of race have presented unique challenges for Latino/as who identify as more than one race in the U.S., including experiences of monoracism/racial essentialization, assimilation, microaggressions, discrimination, and the chameleon effect. Many also go through unique biracial/multiracial identity development and may experience an identity crisis. This research project provides a brief overview of the multiracial population, specifically outlining the multiracial Latino/a population in the U.S. Furthermore, the presentation explains what it means to identify as a biracial/multiracial Latino/a, highlighting the complexity of Latino/a identity and its fluidity. This presentation also presents solutions for how biracial/multiracial Latino/as can overcome the challenges they face, including embracing their multiracial identity, educating others, and creating support networks. Ways for others to support biracial/multiracial Latino/as in their identity development are also outlined in this presentation, including normalizing the existence of biracial/multiracial Latino/as in the U.S. and becoming a mentor and advocate for these students. The results of this presentation suggest that because many biracial/multiracial Latino/as view their Latinidad as part of their racial identity, the true Latino/a multiracial population in the U.S. is underreported