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Becoming Black: Reconciling Race Relations as an Afro-Caribbean Educator

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By Deziree Baker

As a Caribbean immigrant educator, I have had to adapt to the United States in several ways—racially, socially, and academically. In this article, I will share my experiences with “becoming Black” in the States and subsequently how my racial identity development has impacted my practices as an educator.

Racial identity development is defined as a dynamic process that occurs over time and is affected by personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural environments. Several racial identity models exist across different groups—one is William E. Cross Jr.’s Nigrescence model, which outlines the statuses of development for people with a Black racial identity. According to Cross, Nigrescence (the process of becoming Black) is characterized by 5 stages:

  • Pre-encounter
  • Encounter
  • Immersion-Emersion
  • Internalization
  • Internalization-Commitment1

Using the lens of Cross’s theoretical framework, I have been able to unpack my own racial identity development. Based on the model, I’ve seen how my teaching practices from a teacher-candidate to a full-time teacher have either a) conformed to whitewashed history or b) been inorganically framed to shed light on Black figures/history, without including other marginalized groups.

I’ve gone from one extreme to another, and am just now getting to the place where I have reconciled my racial development. This has not only helped me personally, but it has also allowed me to align my teaching practices to be more inclusive and a true reflection of diversity. 

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Deziree Baker is an educator and doctoral student currently living in Charlotte, NC.

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Deziree Baker
Deziree Baker
Deziree Baker is an educator and doctoral student currently living in Charlotte, NC.

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