Referencing Cross's Nigrescence Model
A twenty year old college student, Allison*, whom describers herself as a “Black, but not really Black” woman, met with me to discuss what she is experiencing in today’s society (name has been changed). She brought up the recent kneeling of athletes during the national anthem, specifically during the NFL games. “It’s really frustrating that so many people just don’t get what it’s all about,” she began. “It’s not about the flag, the anthem or the troops. I just wish people could see the bigger picture of this entire thing.” I assumed she was talking about the social injustice but asked her to clarify what she meant. “Just everything, the police brutality against Black people and really just the unfairness of it all.” I asked who or what is
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During the preencounter stage “African Americans navigating this stage may hold a low salience for face and may even hold anti-Black attitudes,” (Hayes, 2014). The anti-Black views were apparent when Allison almost blamed Black people for oppression because she believes they are perpetuating the negative stereotypes, almost as if she too believes the stereotypes. I also believe Allison is experience the Encounter stage of Cross’s Model. During this stage a person experiences a situation where the person becomes aware of the racism and oppression that is effecting their life (Hayes, 2014). There are a few examples of the Encounter stage from Allison’s story, such as her awareness of the NFL kneeling, as well as the comments about her race when she told peers she would be attending UW …show more content…
The Dissonance status is “confusion about one’s connection of people of color and to Whites. The confusion may result from cross-racial interactions that elucidate one’s personal or reference group’s experiences with the use of racism…information related to race is often repressed,” (Hayes, 2014). Allison’s upbringing and current socialization between the Black community and the White community seems to have created this sense of confusion of identity, which could also explain why she contradicted herself when she was explaining her understanding of
During the preencounter stage “African Americans navigating this stage may hold a low salience for face and may even hold anti-Black attitudes,” (Hayes, 2014). The anti-Black views were apparent when Allison almost blamed Black people for oppression because she believes they are perpetuating the negative stereotypes, almost as if she too believes the stereotypes. I also believe Allison is experience the Encounter stage of Cross’s Model. During this stage a person experiences a situation where the person becomes aware of the racism and oppression that is effecting their life (Hayes, 2014). There are a few examples of the Encounter stage from Allison’s story, such as her awareness of the NFL kneeling, as well as the comments about her race when she told peers she would be attending UW …show more content…
The Dissonance status is “confusion about one’s connection of people of color and to Whites. The confusion may result from cross-racial interactions that elucidate one’s personal or reference group’s experiences with the use of racism…information related to race is often repressed,” (Hayes, 2014). Allison’s upbringing and current socialization between the Black community and the White community seems to have created this sense of confusion of identity, which could also explain why she contradicted herself when she was explaining her understanding of