Critical Mixed Race Studies Fundraising 2021-2022 Cover art by Favianna Rodriguez
Who we are Critical Mixed Race Studies (CMRS) Association is an international collective of scholars, artists, community activists, clinicians, and students whose work analyzes and critiques social, cultural, and political institutions based on dominant conceptions of race.
What we do
How we do it The CMRS Association hosts a biennial conference and other low-cost/free events including virtual book talks. The CMRS conference draws over 500 multiracial scholars, artists, students, activists, clinicians, community organizations and advocates from all over the world.
Founded by Drs. Camilla Fojas, Laura Kina and Wei Ming Dariotis at DePaul University in 2010, the CMRS works to undo local and global systemic injustice CMRS conference was the first, and remains one rooted in systems of racism and monoracism, which of the only, counterspaces for those interested in privileges single-race identity, through social justice work, critically exploring constructions of race through a including: multiracial lens. • scholarship • teaching • advocacy • the arts • activism “Much of the work presented at CMRS is issue-based, and many of the connections and relationships that are established in these spaces have led to more direct activism.”
- Rob Buscher, Contributor of the Pacific Citizen
Why our work is important Growing population of multiracial individuals and families... Though multiracial individuals and families have always existed in this country and around the world, their numbers are rising. Following are some recent statistics* from the U.S. Census (2012) and Pew Research Center (2015) about the multiracial population: • 17% of marriages in the US are between persons of different racial groups • 6.9% of people over 18 identify with two or more races • 10% of babies born in the US are multiracial • 50% of multiracial adults are American Indian and white • 16% of Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx persons identify with two or more races *Keep in mind these figures are underestimates of the actual size of the multiracial population because many multiracial people (60%) choose to identify as one race. Multiracial Arizona - Did you know? • Phoenix is ranked #7 in terms of U.S. cities with the largest multiracial population (US Census, 2012) • 3.5% of Arizonans are two or more races (US Census, 2017) • 25% of newlyweds in Phoenix and Tucson are interracial (Pew Research, 2015) • Almost 5% of first-time freshmen at Arizona State University identify with two or more races • ASU is home to a large number of faculty and graduate students who identify as mixed race and/ or do research on mixed-race issues
“I don’t really know what feeling Japanese or Haitian or American is supposed to feel like. I just feel like me.”
- Tennis Champion, Naomi Osaka
Challenges Racism and discrimination – Over half of multiracial adults have been subject to racism in the form of racial slurs or jokes. In addition to racism, multiracial individuals and families are subject to monoracism, or discrimination based on the false belief that people and families should only be single-race (Johnston & Nadal, 2010). Examples of monoracism can include: • • • •
Being forced to choose one race Getting repeatedly asked “What are you?” Feeling pressured to assert a single-race identity Having others question one’s membership within a family or a community because of their physical characteristics (e.g., skin color) • Being excluded from single-race clubs and student organizations Lack of representation - Multiracial individuals and families often live in communities and spaces devoid of other multiracial people. In addition, there is a general lack of representation of multiracial individuals in education. For example, multiracial college students will likely face an absence of representation in existing policies, practices, curriculum, and multicultural and diversity efforts. This can significantly hamper one’s ability to successfully navigate college and university environments (Johnston-Guerrero & Wijeyesinghe, 2021). These challenges make multiracial individuals and families more vulnerable to certain risks, including increased anxiety and depression, substance and alcohol use, suicidal tendencies and exposure to domestic violence.
The opportunity The CMRS conference embodies the aspirational goals of the New American University to transform society, fuse intellectual disciplines, and engage globally. Considering the diversity of ASU, and in following our charter to measure success by whom we include rather than exclude, this interdisciplinary conference has the potential to place ASU at the forefront of an innovative field that examines race through an inclusive, equitable lens. Your support for the 2022 CMRS Conference can provide opportunities for ASU and the larger Arizona community to learn, engage, and collaborate with local, national, and international scholars, artists, activists, students, clinicians, and community organizations who are interested in addressing our changing demographics and building meaningful dialogue and action that speaks to our collective humanity and growing diversity of lived experiences. In addition, your support will… • Improve accessibility by keeping conference registration costs low • Support local multiracial artists and activists • Help multiracial students and scholars disseminate innovative research and projects The 2022 CMRS conference will be a worthy investment to ensure that ASU continues to be a part of the global “mixed” conversation and a leader in bringing visibility to an under-served demographic that calls Arizona home. Critical Mixed Race Studies Website: https://criticalmixedracestudies.com/
“CMRS offers so much: cutting-edge research, diverse topics, arts and entertainment and a chance to build community.” – Thomas Lopez, Multiracial Community Organizer
CMRS Conference Sponsorship Opportunities Onyx Sponsor $10,000 (FMV: $430) Special recognition from the President of CMRS Company listing and description in Conference App Recognition in all advertising and promotional materials Name of agency/institution mentioned in press release Virtual exhibitor space with resources about your agency/institution Agency/Institution logo with active link on CMRS website for 1 year 6 tickets to the Conference 6 Conference-themed totes Turquoise Sponsor $5,000 (FMV: $230) Company listing and description in Conference App Recognition in all advertising and promotional materials Virtual exhibitor space with resources about your agency/institution Name of agency/institution mentioned in press release Agency/Institution logo with active link on CMRS website for 1 year 4 tickets to the conference 4 Conference-themed totes Citrine Sponsor $2,500 (FMV: $90) Company listing and description in Conference App Recognition in all advertising and promotional materials Agency/Institution logo with active link on CMRS website for 6 months 2 tickets to the conference 2 Conference-themed totes Emerald Sponsor $1,000 (FMV: $45) Company listing and description in Conference App Recognition in all advertising and promotional materials 1 ticket to the conference A Conference-themed tote Amethyst Sponsor $500.00 (FMV: $25) Company listing and description in Conference App 1 ticket to the conference Topaz Sponsor - Friend of CMRS $250.00 (FMV: $0) Company Listing and description in Conference App