What Promotes Latine Adults’ Resistance and Empowerment Against Racism? An Investigation of Racial Socialization and Ethnic Identity

Abstract While research has begun to examine how anti-racism is associated with Latine adults’ health outcomes, few studies to our knowledge have examined what factors may contribute to Latine adults’ engagement in anti-racist action in the first place. Thus, the present study examined how three forms of parental racial socialization (i.e., cultural socialization, preparation for bias, and promotion of mistrust) are associated with Latine adults’ resistance and empowerment against racism (REAR). We also examined if ethnic identity mediated these aforementioned associations. 223 Latine adults living in the United States completed an online survey containing our variables of interest. From this survey of original data, we conducted quantitative analyses. Regression and mediation analyses showed that both cultural socialization and preparation for bias were positively associated with REAR, whereas promotion of mistrust was not associated. Furthermore, ethnic identity mediated the associations between cultural socialization and preparation for bias and REAR. The results of our study highlight the importance of examining how the messages that Latine adults received in their youth may portend whether they engage in racial activism or not as adults. Furthermore, ethnic identity may be an important mechanism to consider in relation to Latine adults’ engagement in resistance and empowerment against racism.