“ <i>Do I belong here?”</i> : uncovering racialized experiences of Dutch Caribbean students in The Netherlands through a participatory action research-based intervention

Dutch Caribbean (DC) students face challenges in the racialized Dutch educational context that negatively affect their mental wellbeing and study success. To address this issue, this study aimed to develop need-based intervention(s) to foster resilience and sense of belonging among DC students. A Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach was used to develop and implement five reflexive workshops and one impact event over three years to foster and improve individual and community resilience among DC students. The interventions provided reflexive and healing spaces for students to share racialized experiences, feel connected, and (re)build a sense of self and community. More culturally appropriate interventions were recommended to empower DC students to connect and cope with their emotions and foster resilience. The findings warrant the need for more safe reflexive spaces for racialized students to connect, share experiences, and build both personal and communal resilience–as anti-racist transformative praxis.