Navigating becoming people of color in higher education: a duoethnography of three international students of color

In this paper, we explored our experiences navigating new identities as international students of color during our doctoral programs. Duoethnography, functioning as a dialogic space, facilitated the unpacking of our experiences and our understanding of how race/racism shapes our racial identities and everyday experiences. The paper is organized based on the following themes: 1) Duoethnography as a dialogic space, (2) awareness of racial identities, (3) English as a changing transnational object, (4) a sense of continual liminality, and (5) agency to reclaim identities. The paper provides implications for literature and practices, particularly addressing the challenges faced by international students of color navigating their intersecting identities in the landscape of U.S. academia. It also extends insights for professors, academic advisors, international student offices, and associated entities aiming to act as allies for international students of color.