Discrimination among African-Americans: What Does Intersectionality Have to Do with It?

In recent years a growing body of psychological research suggests encounters with racial discrimination are common occurrences in the lives of African Americans (Hudson et al., 2012; Kessler, Mickelson, & Williams, 1999; Ren, Amick, & Williams, 1999; Swim, Hyers, Cohen, Fitzgerald, & Bylsma, 2003). Despite the regularity of such occurrences, there is a segment of the literature that suggests encounters with racial discrimination are more common among middle-class African Americans than low-income African Americans (Dailey, Kasl, Holford, Lewis, & Jones, 2010; Kessler, Mickelson, & Williams, 1999; Ro & Choi, 2009). These findings highlight the confound between the intersections of race and class that has long plagued community psychologists and other social scientists (Cole & Omari, 2003). In addition to class, it is important to recognize that African Americans experience discrimination across a variety of dimensions, including their gender, sexual orientation, age, religion and ability status (see Cole, 2009). Though it is common for race to be the central focus of discrimination experiences among African Americans, we must remain cognizant of how discrimination often gets played out in very complex ways, involving an intersection of multiple dimensions of identity. This complexity is not limited to African Americans, but is also present when individuals from other racial and ethnic groups experience discrimination. Considering its significance in the lives of African Americans and other oppressed groups, how do community psychologists begin to develop interventions and conduct research in ways that speak to the intersectionality of discriminatory experiences? This roundtable will serve as a forum for practitioners and researchers to discuss ways in which community psychologists can works towards integrating an intersectional perspective in their work with African American populations and other marginalized groups.