Journal of College & University Student Housing "Housing While Black" Theme Issue - 56

DISCUSSION
Our findings highlight how race shaped our participants' motivations for pursuing the
RA position and their experiences on staff. While about 40% of the on-campus population
as well as the RA staff at PRU identified as Black, our participants experienced
the institution and department as a white space, where Black individuals in leadership
positions, whether the RA position or higher level positions in residence life, were
seen as the exception. Higher education institutions are historically white spaces, rooted
in racism and white supremacy, that continue to use curricula and policies that
reinforce systems of oppression (Patton, 2016). Within such environments, increased
representation is not enough to create truly inclusive communities, in particular when
this increased representation occurs primarily at lower ranks (i.e., the RA position or
graduate assistants, rather than hall directors or departmental leadership).
While our participants did not experience being the only Black RAs on staff, unlike
their peers at PWIs (Hardaway, 2019; Harper et al., 2011; Roland & Agosta, 2017),
they still felt a responsibility to represent their race and be a resource and role model
for Black residents. Participants wanted to support Black residents and show them
that they too could take on this leadership role, a desire that shaped their motivations
for pursuing the position. Previous research indicates that RAs of color can create an
important support network for students of color (Foste & Johnson, 2021); our participants
seemed to embrace the call to do so. Departments, however, need to be careful to
acknowledge the additional emotional labor that comes with doing this work (Foste &
Johnson, 2021). Similar to faculty and staff of color, Black RAs may encounter heavier
workloads due to their commitments to support students of color.
While going through the selection process, our participants had to confront complicated
feelings about how their race might shape their chances of being selected
and whether they believed that their race might help or hinder their chances. Simone
rejected the idea of being a " diversity hire, " wanting to believe that she was hired due
to her qualifications and not her race. Engaging in the emotional work of speculating
about whether or not race shaped a situation-in this case, the RA selection process-can
take a toll on an individual's well-being (Wang et al., 2011). Our participants'
comments also indicate that the RA position at the institution continued to be seen as
something white students engage in.
During the interview process and once they were working as RAs, our participants
struggled to be their authentic selves. They felt a need to change their behaviors
to appear more professional, which some attributed to their race though others did
not. Captain, for example, did not believe she had to change her behavior due to race
During the interview process and once they were working as RAs,
our participants struggled to be their authentic selves. They felt a need
to change their behaviors to appear more professional, which some
attributed to their race though others did not.
Volume 48, No. 3 * 2022 53

Journal of College & University Student Housing "Housing While Black" Theme Issue

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