Brazilian-Shaming in HSIs: Rethinking Servingness and Belonging for Brazilian Students

In 2020, while collecting data to study the complexity of the x in Latinx, I had the privilege of speaking with many individuals who generously shared their perspectives on Latinx identity. As often happens in research, their insights both answered long-standing questions and opened the door to entirely new ones.

During this process, I had the opportunity to interview Brazilian students and engage with Brazilian communities. Their stories expanded my understanding of Latin* identities, but they also illuminated a striking reality: Brazilian students - despite being part of the larger Latin American diaspora - are often missing from higher education research, policy conversations, and literature. This visibility gap motivated me to study how Brazilian students understand Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and how they experience servingness, belonging, and social connectedness. This work would not have been possible without my colleagues and collaborators, Dr. Marlynn Lopez and Dr. Raquel Botello, who joined me in this research journey.

“Hispanic-Serving Institutions Are Brazilian-Shaming Institutions”: Brazilian Students’ Meaning Making of Servingness and Belongingness

Brazilian Students's meaning meaking of servingness and belongingness.

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This study explores the experiences of Brazilian students enrolled at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the United States, focusing on how they make sense of belonging and institutional servingness. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, 11 Brazilian students participated in in-depth interviews, revealing the complexity of their relationship with the HSI designation. Findings highlight a persistent tension: although HSIs are federally defined to serve Latinx students, institutional practices often center Spanish-speaking cultures—leaving many Brazilian students feeling excluded from the very category they are counted within. Participants described moments of “Brazilian-shaming,” noting that while they contribute to HSI enrollment metrics, they remain underrepresented in cultural programming, academic support, and institutional narratives. Yet, despite these structural gaps, Brazilian students build community through informal networks, social media connections, and Brazilian cultural spaces both on and off campus. Their stories underscore the urgency for HSIs to broaden how they conceptualize Latin* identities and to adopt more inclusive approaches that genuinely reflect the diversity of the populations they are federally funded to serve.

Case Study: A Brazilian International Student's Story

In addition to this article, I also had the opportunity to co-author a book chapter on Brazilian student experiences with Dr. Bryan Hursh. Together, we present a case study to further examined how Brazilian identity intersects with campus climate, language, belonging, and U.S. higher education structures.

One in the Group but not of the Group: A Brazilian International Student's Story about Mental Well-Being while Navigating a Hispanic-Serving Institution

case study_ A Brazilian international student's story.

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This case study explores how intersections of ethnicity and international student status shape the experiences of a Brazilian international student at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The case study bighlights the importance of using appropriate terminology when working with students from Latin America.