Racial And Cultural Identity Development Model Analysis

In Chapter 5, Racial/ Cultural Minority Identity Development, we are presented with the idea of identity development models. The article provides examples of Black Identity Development Models, Hispanic, Chinese, and Japanese Identity Development Models, Feminist Identity Theory, and the Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model. This chapter explains how “Asian Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians have experienced sociopolitical identity transformations so that a Third World Consciousness has emerged, with a cultural oppression as the common unifying force” (Sue, 2006). This model gives five stages of development and each level provides four beliefs and attitudes that can help social workers to gain a better understanding of their

After reading through these chapters I was able to uncover how I got my information about my racial and cultural identity. We have been learning from our parents ever since we were born. We learn about different cultures by the way our parent’s talk about them. My parents had always preached acceptance, until the day my sister was asked out by a Hispanic boy from school. They said he was trouble and his family was rough. This was the day that I learned how my parents saw people of different ethnicities. It was the same belief that was taught to them by their parents. But it doesn’t have to be the belief I pass on to my children. I truly believe that we get our information about racial and cultural identity from our families and education. However, this does not mean that we cannot discover new information and respect the different cultural identities of others.

Chapter six, White Racial Identity Development, focuses on the idea of “whiteness”. “Whiteness defines a reality that advantages White Euro-American males while disadvantaged others”(Sue, 2006). The text gives an example of dialogue surrounding the question, “What does it mean to be white?” This question was asked to White Euro-Americans as well as people from different ethnicities. As you can imagine their answers differed on many levels but were very common for their diverse

As a result I was raised to believe that we are all created equally and as a result of the lack of diversity in my town, I soon began to believe it. It wasn’t until I was much older that I saw the prejudices held by the towns’ people. A local girl had moved to the city for college. She was playing basketball, but all anybody cared about was that she was dating an African American. This is all I heard about for months on end. The pastors preached how this was sinful and the parents emphasized how it was against the Bible. As I grew and found this to be a bias, I became disgusted with myself and guilty with the fact that I was white. “Guilt may also result from the person’s being afraid to speak out on the issues or take responsibility for his or her part in a current situation” (Sue, 2006 Pg.