Resisting Racial Oppression: Ethnic Identity & Critical Consciousness as Pathways to Thriving for Young Black, Indigenous, and People of Color

<p>Young Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the United States continuously defy the odds through resilience, resistance, and the pursuit of liberation, yet they are historically understudied as agents of their own positive development within the context of racial oppression (García Coll et al., 1996). This explanatory sequential mixed-method study examined how 393 BIPOC-identifying youth (ages 18-25) thrive amid racial oppression. Survey results initially indicated that higher levels of perceived racial discrimination were related to higher levels of thriving, as measured by the 5Cs model of positive youth development (Lerner et al., 2005). In alignment with previous theoretical postulations, results demonstrated ethnic identity development and critical consciousness were also related positive youth development (Christophe et al., 2018; Hope et al., 2019). Further, results revealed that ethnic identity development and critical consciousness fully mediated the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and overall levels of thriving. Interview findings ( N = 11) further explained how the process of developing ethnic identity and critical consciousness functions as a vital form of resilience to racial discrimination. These processes equipped young BIPOC with a critical understanding of racial injustice, a strong sense of connection to their community, and motivation to contribute to social change. Additionally, racial differences were captured by exploring relationships between racial discrimination, ethnic identity, and critical consciousness individually for groups of Latinx and Black youth. These findings provide evidence for the urgent need to foster the development of ethnic identity and critical consciousness among young BIPOC, while we simultaneously work to dismantle racial oppression.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Psychology, PhD

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

School of Social Science, Politics, and Evaluation

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Ariza, Adriana

Contributors dc:contributor

• Michelle Sloper
• Saida Hesmati
• Laura Wray-Lake

• Critical consciousness
• Ethnic identity
• Positive youth development
• Racism
• Black youth
• Developmental Psychology
• Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/1016

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarship.claremont.edu:cgu_etd-2038