Microaggressions and the Multiracial Experience*
Kevin L. Nadal, Yinglee Wong, Katie Griffin, Julie Sriken, Vivian Vargas, Michelle Wideman, Ajayi Kolawole

Abstract
Racial microaggressions are subtle statements or behaviors, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile or denigrating messages towards people of color. Previous racial microaggression research tends to focus exclusively on monoracial people of color, without examining experiences from multiracial persons. In Study 1 (N = 262), a quantitative approach was used to measure the frequencies and types of microaggressions multiracial people experience. In study 2 (N = 9), a qualitative focus group method and directed content analysis were used to identify, as well as elaborate the array of microaggressions that occurred in the participants’ everyday lives. Results from both studies support and identify that multiracial people experience microaggressions that are both similar and unique to monoracial people of color.

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