Navigating immigrant identity in community resistance efforts through sensegiving and sensebreaking

Community participation is critical for a democratic process; however, some participation has been known to be tyrannical. Conducting participation that equalizes power dynamics comes with its challenges. This is especially true in immigrant communities, where individuals face various power structures that may not necessarily be supportive of their immigration status and identities. This article investigates how members of an immigrant community in the United States initiated an effort to stop the establishment of a gas compressor station that directly impacted their neighborhood. Through 21 semi-structured interviews with community members, the study used sensegiving and sensebreaking theory to understand how community leaders participated in sensegiving through emotional appeals and educational activities, while using social media to sensebreak. As a response, other community members also used sensebreaking to navigate and negotiate the meaning of participation and created alternate spaces of participation that are necessary for a democratic system.