Crossing Borders and Telling Stories: A Narrative Inquiry of Asian International Students’ Engagement in U.S. Racial Justice Activism

International students’ engagement in racial justice activism remains understudied. Guided by International Student Critical Race Theory (IntlCrit) and using narrative inquiry, this study examines how transnational and institutional influences shaped Asian international students’ engagement in U.S. racial justice activism. Drawing on five illustrative participant cases and a cross-case analysis, the findings reveal three themes. First, participants developed transnational racial consciousness by connecting U.S. racial injustice to histories and inequalities in their home countries, leading them to reconsider their positionalities. Second, their engagement was shaped by unfamiliar protest norms, peer relationships, emotional strain, and immigration-related risks. Third, participants perceived institutional power as limiting their recognition within equity efforts and weakening their trust in universities. These findings demonstrate how racial justice activism is interpreted and reshaped across borders, challenging assumptions about international students’ political passivity. The study extends student activism and CRT scholarship and highlights universities’ responsibility to recognize international students’ racialized experiences and political agency.