Growing in discomfort: Challenges of Caribbean immigrant‐origin emerging adults in United States

Abstract This study examines the development and pursuit of goals among immigrant‐origin emerging adults, focusing on the experiences of 16 Caribbean‐origin women college students. Grounded in Chafetz's gender equity framework, we used semi‐structured interviews to explore how aspirations are shaped across family and community contexts. Findings show that participants prioritized education and career attainment while delaying family formation, often in response to community resource scarcity and gendered constraints. Families provided material support but limited verbal encouragement, requiring ongoing negotiation of aspirations. These findings highlight intervention opportunities for families, communities, and institutions supporting immigrant‐origin emerging adults.