How I found my research: Raven Bacchas thrives in the EMPOWER Youth Lab

By Tom Gresham

Although in just her second year as a development psychology Ph.D. student at Virginia Commonwealth University, Raven Bacchas has already made her mark as a researcher, colleague and mentor.

Bacchas, who is from Virginia Beach, works in the EMPOWER (Empowering and Motivating Positive Outcomes, Well-being, & Experiences with Race/Ethnicity/Culture) Youth Lab, part of the Department of Psychology in the College of Humanities and Sciences. In her first year, she developed a pipeline of eight manuscripts (one under review, six in progress) and 10 conference presentations.

Chelsea Williams, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and the director of the EMPOWER Youth Lab, said Bacchas developed and submitted a lead-author publication in their first semester - and the paper was accepted for publication before the end of her first year. "Raven is truly exceptional," Williams said.

Williams said Bacchas is also excels as a mentor in the lab, where she leads two working teams of undergraduate students and is "well-loved" among the undergrads - with one telling Williams, "She is someone that I can look up to as I continue my own research and professional journey."

Bacchas earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Dallas, double majoring in psychology and child learning and development. Bacchas said she is "a proud Afro-Latina with my mom being from Colón, Panamá and my dad being from Montego Bay, Jamaica." Bacchas shared with VCU News how her background has inspired her research and why she finds working in the EMPOWER Youth Lab so fulfilling.

In two sentences, tell us the focus of your research ... and why it is important/impactful for all of us.

Broadly speaking, my research interest focuses on understanding more about Multiracial and/or Multiethnic LGBTQIA+ people (particularly from Black and Latiné communities) navigate their identity development and different environments, especially when facing various social stressors that may attack their identities (e.g., discrimination, colorism, homophobia). Particularly, Multiracial youth with intersecting identities currently remain underrepresented in research and face many elevated risks that affect their development (e.g., greater experiences of victimization/discrimination), so it's important for us to spread awareness about their experiences and support their development.

What inspired you to pursue this line of research?

I would say both my personal experiences and academic journey are my ongoing drives for why I want to pursue this research. In undergrad, I had a mentor (Dr. Salena Brody) who really pushed for me to get involved in research and just try all avenues and see what stuck. So, in my junior year, I became a fellow for the Center for Children and Families' NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates program that focused on community-based culturally responsive research. From this, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in developmental research, but I couldn't figure out what until I thought more about two populations that I am most passionate about: Multiracial youth and LGBTQIA+ youth. Putting the two together didn't really click until I thought about myself and the framework of intersectionality.

Growing up, my parents, especially my mom, exposed my brother and me to both of our backgrounds all the time (e.g., hearing all the different types of music from both backgrounds, making different cultural foods, learning Spanish, listening to stories from my parents and other family members). So, I felt extremely proud of being Panamanian and Jamaican with my family and friends. However, I often struggled finding people who were like me, and sometimes, I've had encounters with people who wouldn't believe that I was from one of my ethnic-racial backgrounds. So, I feel like I had an equal amount of identity invalidating and identity-affirming experiences that led me to want to see if other people who are Multiracial/Multiethnic went through the same things and how these experiences impacted them in different ways.

As for the intersectionality piece, not only am I Panamanian-Jamaican but I'm also a lesbian and have been a big advocate for incorporating LGBTQIA+ youth both in my research and within my field as a whole. While research is still growing on those with intersecting identities, there's little on Multiracial people with intersecting identities and their developmental experiences.

Raven Bacchas said, "Multiracial youth with intersecting identities currently remain underrepresented in research and face many elevated risks that affect their development, so it's important for us to spread awareness about their experiences and support their development." (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Tell us about an obstacle or challenge you had to overcome in your work.

I sometimes have moments where I get doubtful of myself since I'm the first in my family to do any of this, especially pursuing my degree and research. Luckily, I have mentors like Dr. Williams and Dr. Brody who have poured so much love and support into me and are always there to remind me that I'm capable of doing anything and to continue doing the hard work while also giving myself grace in moments of uncertainty.

Is there a memorable partnership or lesson you've embraced along the way?

Something I continue to embrace as I'm in my grad program is being kind to myself and staying grounded in any way I can. I think as much as you are passionate about your research, it can get easy to be swept up with work and not take care of yourself along the way. So, I try to stay connected with my support system (my girlfriend, friends and family) and also get involved in my never-ending list of hobbies but mainly crocheting.

What do you find fulfilling about the research process?

In the EMPOWER Youth Lab, we have an ongoing study that involves us interviewing 5-to-11-year-old Multiracial children and their caregivers to learn more about their everyday lives and cultural experiences. I am primarily a child interviewer, and I find it so fulfilling when I have instances of a kid telling me that I am one of the first to teach them and have conversations about being Multiracial. I love that we provide these culturally affirming spaces for Multiracial kids and kind of send them off to think more deeply about who they are.

What advice would you offer undergrads to kick-start their own research journeys?

Find what you're most passionate about and really pursue any and all opportunities that get you closer and closer to your goals. Also, don't be afraid to connect with your professors and faculty and community members who are currently doing the work and are in the field you aspire to be in. Lastly, be sure to stay grounded and not push yourself to your breaking point; your work and passion for what you want to do will always be there, but you have to make sure you're okay in the process.