The Black Student Activist and Racial/Ethnic

Identity AbroadBrittany Allen, MIDA- South Africa Site Specialist, International Studies

AbroadMonroe France-AVP, Student Diversity NYU

Introductions

Session ContentWe wish to facilitate a discussion addressing these issues:• Does studying abroad contribute to a student’s understanding of their

ethnic identity? If so, how?• Can going abroad help students understand key domestic social justice

issues?• In what ways can we appeal to this group of students? How do we make it

relevant to them?• How can int’l. educators and practitioners support students whose aim is

to explore their identity abroad?• What barriers do we need to consider?

Central Goals

• Begin to formulate strategies for recruiting politically active black students

• Discuss methods of engaging and supporting this particular group of students

• Identify steps in your own practice for engaging black students in your own context

An SA Alumni Experience

Current Statistics and Perceived Barriers

• 5.6% are Black students (1.5% black males)

• 8.3% are Hispanic students study abroad

• 7.7% are Asian or Pacific Islander• 74.3% are White students• 4.4% of students studied in Sub-

Saharan Africa• 2.1% of students studied in the

Middle East and North Africa

· Financial o Perception of cost o Working to pay for school leaving for a semester would be a hindrance o Helping family out with work or other forms o Family may not support study abroad

· Family o Not familiar with study abroad o Parents may question why the needo Parents don’t see the value added to study abroad o Family responsibilities

· Academics o Grades o Worried won’t fit into their major/Classes o Worried may not graduate on time (plays back to financial) o Not aware they can do it until it’s too late

· Fear o Unknown parents may have not studied abroad never heard about it o Fitting in in another country o What are the support systems in place o Race relations in another countryo Isolation from current events in the U.S.o Expectations vs. Reality abroad

Black Males and Study Abroad• We must emphasize not only the

personal benefits of study abroad (ethnic identity discovery, other “non-cognitive” benefits), but specifically the professional and career advantages

• –Tangible and intangible benefits-breaking cultural boundaries

• “Employers want candidates who are globally minded leaders capable of working with diverse groups of people.”

Revival of Politically Active Students on College Campuses

• Police Brutality and #Blacklivesmatter • Campus Protests-Most growth in the U.S. civic activity on college

campuses since the 1960’s

Revival of Politically Active Students on College Campuses, cont’d.

Politically Active Students Abroad-South Africa

The Black Student and Ethnic Identity

• Maramba and Velasquez (2012) suggest that students who purposefully pursue knowledge of their ethnic history has many cognitive and non-cognitive benefits

• Morgan et al. (2002) –Students can gain understanding of similar sociopolitical issues that both Africans and African-Americans face as marginalized people-these experiences can be used in the fight for social justice domestically

Current Strategies for Engagement-How do we reach Socially Conscious

Black Students?• Peer advising (utilize students of color

who have studied abroad)• Student panel

• Keep an alumni database that you can refer back to – ask them if they wouldn’t mind contacting current students who are interested

• Marketing materials that reflect politically active students of color going abroad

• Faculty and staff influence• Diversity ambassador programs (NYU)

• Make contact with black student organizations on campuses-emphasize the relevance of these overseas experiences

• Make contact with students when they first come into the university during Orientation

• Word of mouth – have students host in dorm session/social on study abroad – share their experiences and dispel any myths

• Financial aid opportunities

*Key Benefits for Studying Abroad for Politically Active Students of

Color• Better comprehension of how

marginalized groups abroad fight social justice issues, making those connections

• Access to human rights/civil rights volunteering and internships abroad

• Enhance your leadership skills-useful for those in leadership positions on campus

• Share the knowledge you have gained with friends and family and local community

• Stronger understanding of one’s ethnic and racial origin and history

Discussion

Reference• Aziz, N. (2012, August 8). Why the World Needs More Traveling Black Men. The Huffington Post.• Dawson, N. J., (2000). Study Abroad and African American College Student at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

African Issues: Vol. 28, No ½ Retrieved from HYPERLINK "http://www.jstor.org.stable/1167074" http://www.jstor.org.stable/1167074

• Hartocollis, A., & Bidgood, J. (2015, November 11). Racial Discrimination Protests Ignite at Colleges Across the U.S. . The New York Times.

• Institute of International Education. (2015). "Institutions by Undergraduate Participation in Study Abroad, 2013/14." Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. Retrieved from http://www.iie.org/opendoors

• Maramba, D. C., & Velasquez, P. (2012). Influences of the Campus Experience on the Ethnic Identity Development of Students of Color. Education and Urban Society, 294-317.

• Morgan, R. M., Desideria, M. T., & Turner, L. N. (2002). Black Women in the African Diaspora Seeking Their Cultural Heritage Through Studying Abroad. NASPA Journal, 333-353.

• New, J. (2016, February 11). Get Ready for More Protests. Retrieved from Inside Higher Ed: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/02/11/survey-finds-nearly-1-10-freshmen-plan-participating-campus-protests

• Somashekhar, S. (2015, November 17). How Black Lives Matter, born on the streets, is rising to power on campus. The Washington Post.