“Critical Mixed Race Studies is the transracial, transdisciplinary, and transnational critical analysis of the institutionalization of social, cultural, and political orders based on dominant conceptions of race. CMRS emphasizes the mutability of race and the porosity of racial boundaries in order to critique processes of racialization and social stratification based on race. CMRS addresses local and global systemic injustices rooted in systems of racialization.”
This definition was articulated by Camilla Fojas, Laura Kina, and Wei Ming Dariotis, the founders of the Critical Mixed Race Studies Conference. Their work laid the foundation for the CMRS field, fostering a community vessel to hold this body of knowledge and experiences, and creating a comprehensive and critical understanding of Mixed race issues across various disciplines and geographical contexts.
Our History
2010
Founded by Camilla Fojas, Laura Kina, and Wei Ming Dariotis, the inaugural November 5-6 CMRS conference “Emerging Paradigms in Critical Mixed Race Studies” was hosted by DePaul University in Chicago, IL.
2011
Founding of the Journal of Critical Mixed Race Studies at UC Santa Barbara; first issue released in 2014. G. Reginald Daniel, Wei Ming Dariotis, Laura Kina, Maria P.P. Root, and Paul Spickard founded the Journal of Critical Mixed Race Studies in 2011 at UC Santa Barbara, with the inaugural issue released in 2014.
2012
November 1st-4th DePaul hosted the 2nd biennial CMRS conference “What is Critical Mixed Race Studies?” in conjunction with Mixed Roots Midwest festival.
2014
The 3rd biennial CMRS conference “Global Mixed Race” was held at DePaul University on November 13-15th, featuring partnerships with Mixed Roots Stories for arts and cultural programming.
2015
Critical Mixed Race Studies Association (CMRSA) founded through the fiscal sponsorship of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago.
2017
The 4th CMRS conference “Explorations in Trans (gender, gressions, migrations, racial) Fifty Years After Loving v. Virginia” took place at University of Southern California and was hosted by the USC Shinso Ito Center for Japanese Religions and Culture in conjunction with the Hapa Japan Festival.
In May of 2017 CMRSA held its first elections and established a dedicated board of members, including the Executive Committee.
2018
March 1-3 The 5th biennial CMRS conference “Resist, Reclaim, Reimagine” was hosted at the University of Maryland.
2022
February 24-26 The 6th biennial CMRS conference “Ancestral Futurisms: Examining Multiracialities Past, Present, and Future ” Hosted virtually by Arizona State University (ASU).
2023
CMRS Reaching Non-profit status Achieving non-profit foundation status was a pivotal milestone that formalized the organization’s structure. This included setting up an official bank account and implementing legal and tax compliance frameworks, which improved financial management and ensured stability. The support from President Victoria Malaney-Brown, Vice President Joseph Holt, and the entire board was crucial in reaching this goal, setting the stage for future boards to manage revenues more effectively.
2024
June 13-15 The 7th biennial CMRSA Conference, “More than Betwixt and Between: Solidarity and Liberation in Beloved Communities,” hosted both virtually and in person at The Ohio State University during Loving Day week, commemorates the landmark Loving v. Virginia decision.
Critical Mixed Race Studies 