The desire to belong is deeply ingrained in human motivation. With its roots in our ancestry, a sense of belonging may influence how we approach occupations, and how connected we feel to our cultures and communities.

 

Research indicates that community-oriented occupations that are responsive to the needs of others provide motivation for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds in the United States. However, it has been found that the value of academic programs and universities may undermine this. As a result, underrepresented students may face a cultural mismatch with their program's values, as well as experience microaggressions and othering from peers.

 

The related links on this page will highlight themes connected to racial literacy and solutions to problems that may occur because of cultural mismatch and the absence of belonging for underrepresented OT students.