Abstract
Intersectional stigma is experienced by individuals who share both a minoritized identity and a socially stigmatized identity. This study examines not only both types of intersectional stigma (e.g., homelessness, addiction, history of incarceration) that exist among students but also how campus personnel have extended an ethic of care to assist these students in changing their self-perceptions or “looking glass selves” to persist and succeed in community college. Recommendations for institutional improvement include flexibility in hiring staff with the expertise of lived experience, extending social support, improving access to campus and community resources, and horizontal peer mentoring for students with stigmatized identities.
Highlights
Intersectional stigma is experienced by individuals who share both a minoritized identity and a socially stigmatized identity
This study examines both types of intersectional stigma that exist among students and how campus personnel have extended an ethic of care to assist these students in changing their self-perceptions or “looking glass selves” to persist and succeed in community college
He continued by explaining that this experience cemented his commitment to offering the same social support to community college students experiencing homelessness that he had once received from an advisor
Summary
Intersectional stigma is experienced by individuals who share both a minoritized identity and a socially stigmatized identity. A Black male academic advisor, George (pseudonym), in a Florida community college spoke about how his past experience of homelessness allows him both to serve as a role model for homeless students and to better empathize with their plight. I was able to talk to them [homeless students] about my own experiences This example captures the essence of intersectional stigma, a social phenomenon experienced by individuals who share both a minoritized identity and a socially stigmatized identity (Berger, 2004). George’s minoritized identity as a Black male intersected with his stigmatized identity as a formerly homeless adult When asked about his journey from homelessness to employment as an academic advisor in a community college, George highlighted the key role that social support and mentorship played in his later success, “A lady encouraged me to get an education. George argued that compared with other academic advisors, his lived experience might have better equipped him to counsel students experiencing homelessness and connect them with community resources that could assist in improving their circumstances, “I love resources, so I always point them [students experiencing homelessness] towards resources—Salvation Army, Goodwill, food stamps.” George’s story demonstrates how campus personnel transmit an institutional ethic of care in community colleges to students who experience intersectional stigma
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
