Many of us, at one time or another, have been in situations where something someone said or did felt offensive, hurtful or dismissive. These can be subtle, often unintentional, comments, questions or actions that suggest bias and negative assumptions about a person based on their identity.

Social scientists refer to them as microaggressions. They are called “micro” not because they have a small impact, but because they’re usually brief, subtle and occur during everyday interactions.

Racial microaggressions, specifically, are experiences of racism that take the form of slights, exclusions, assumptions and invalidation. Repeated over time, they can become a part of everyday social experiences.

Although racial microaggressions have been studied for decades, research is increasingly documenting how pervasive these experiences are in the daily lives of racialized young people and how they affect their mental health and well-being.

This is especially concerning for people in their late teens or early 20s. This time of life is marked by major social and academic transitions and increased vulnerability to mental health challenges.

In our recently published study, we surveyed over 1,300 students at a university in Ontario about racial microaggressions. We found that almost all of the racialized students experienced some kind of racial microaggressions.

University is a time of significant change in many people’s lives. For many, it might be the first time living away from their family home. It can also involve navigating changes in existing relationships and building new friendships and adjusting to new academic environments and demands while developing a sense of identity and belonging.

For racialized students, these transitions can also bring challenges and exposure to racial microaggressions and other forms........

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