healthy and to have a high self esteem. In contrast Blacks who accepted the values of Stage 3 Immersion Emersion: describes the vortex of identity change; and White society were believed to suf self-esteem. fer from self hatred and, as a result, low Stages 4 and 5: Internalization-Commitment: describe the habituation and . internalization of the new identity INTERNALIZA TION ST AGE AGE ENCOUNTER ST Internalization encompasses a transition period where one is working through the At the same time, challenges and problems of a new identity (Cross, 1991). During this time people move . People in the encounter stage must work around, slip through, or even away from how others view them to how they view themselves. Cross (1991) stated shatter the relevance of their ideology and worldview - “the internalization marks the point of dissonance resolution and reconstruction of ones The encounter stage encompass others must provide some hint of direction in which to point the person to be steady state personality and cognitive style” (p. 220). Black people begin to think crit resocialized or transformed (Cross, 1991). ically about their new found racial identity and how it has shaped their life. es two steps, encounter and personalize. In the encounter step, an event - event evoked on they embrace what it means to be Black and have Black self-love that they exude into the As a result happens that shapes how one views their race. Personalize occurs when an personal impact the result of a action as the universe. Most importantly individual takes . Cross (1991) pointed out that the encounter “need , “Black identity functions to fulfill the self protection, s world view social anchorage, and bridging needs of the individual” that person’ not to be negative” (p. 197) for the event to have impact and steer a person INTERNALIZA towards Nigrescence. What matters is that the encounter has a personally TION-COMMITMENT ST AGE significant impact to be the catalyst to spur The person has not yet changed, but commits to Internalization-commitment focuses on the long-term interest of Black af change in their thinking. change. Cross (1991) said that “immersion is a extended amount of time (Cross, 1991). fairs over an This stage is now combined with AGE strong powerful dominating sensation that is con internalization. Cross (1991) explained that “consequently other than to repeat what IMMERSION-EMERSION ST stantly energized by rage [at White people and - has already been said about internalization a more dif ferential look at culture], guilt [at having once been tricked into internalization-commitment awaits the results of future research” ). Ritchey 104 • The immersion-emersion stage of V thinking Black ideas], and ermont Connection • 2014 • V The olume 35 Nigrescence addresses the most According to Benjamin et al. (1998), Black developing a sense of pride [in one’ identity development model helps “Blacks begin to shed a poor self worth and move sensational aspect of Black identity s Black self, toward embracing a positive Black self definition” . development, for it represents the vortex of Black people, and Black culture]” (p. 203). This is the ultimate transformation, A taking place when someone achieves a healthy racial identity psychological Nigrescence (Cross, 1991). sense of rage that is part of the immer and privilege are interwoven into society . Racism, domination, - sion-emersion stage can be a catalyst for Black . It is during this stage that Black people will As a result, “racism and race related stress students to seek out history may be experienced at the cultural, individual and institutional levels” (Johnson & begin to shed their old worldview and , art, and music that Arbona, 2006, p. 1). construct a new frame of reference with represent a culture they never knew existed. This can be experienced by Black people as well as other people with subordinate identities, which is why having a healthy racial identity is important for the information they now have about race. According to V all students, no matter someone’ andiver et al., (2002), Black people s race. According to Benjamin et al. (1998): Healthy can feel a variety of dif racial identity development is achieved when Blacks progress through a in dif ferent emotions expressed series of linear stages commencing with degrading thoughts and feelings about them ferent ways. If Blacks accepted being Black selves and other Blacks accompanied by idealized beliefs about Whites, and ends with then, they were assumed to be psychologically - internalized positive feelings about themselves, other Blacks, and other racial groups. 50nd3k4 30 50nd3k4 31 50nd3k4 30 50nd3k4 31