Introduction
The United States is the world’s most ethnically and racially diverse country and is experiencing a rising number of people identifying as multiracial. However, the process of establishing one’s racial identity varies among people. It takes many forms, including feeling torn between two or more races, not understanding how to identify, and discovering how to connect securely with many racial groupings.
This reflective essay will depict my developmental journey, considering the biological, cultural, historical, social, experiential, and spiritual influences that have molded my identity through a postmodern lens. The goal is to discuss how this development helps me prepare for a job in professional counseling. Understanding these numerous impacts is critical in professional counseling, as it allows one to effectively navigate the intricate processes of identity development and support the overall well-being of multicultural clients from diverse backgrounds.
Developmental Journey
Biological Forces
I am a multiracial individual who identifies as African American, Spanish, and Dutch Amish/Mennonite. I was raised in the Mennonite community, and due to my race, I had to navigate several challenges in my life to get where I am now. My friends and family regarded me differently because of my racial identity, and I never understood why. I felt that I was not Black enough to hang out with the Black kids nor Hispanic enough to meet with the Hispanic kids.
I did not speak Spanish and did not have heavy, curly hair. Not until college did I learn more about what it meant to be Black, Spanish, Dutch, or multiracial. I discovered that it is not just about the hair, enjoying a particular style of music, or the type of food one eats; instead, it extends far deeper. I now appreciate that the Mennonite community’s interactions with African-American and Spanish groups are dynamic, involving cultural interchange, historical contact, and mutual respect.
I have also observed that a person’s physical appearance has a massive impact on how they self-identify with their racial identity. Hair texture is a significant factor in misclassification and raises questions about whom you are mingling with. In my situation, I have strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes, and pale white skin, while my mother has olive skin and brown hair. I identify as white and Christian, and it has taken me a while to understand that these micro-aggressions influence how a multiracial person is viewed.
Socioeconomic Factors
Socioeconomic factors, such as college education, have the most impact on a person’s racial development. This could be due to a lack of materials to help students comprehend their racial identity in elementary and middle school. According to Atkin et al. (2021), college offers ample opportunities, creating a crucial time for self-discovery and identity formation. During this period, I discovered who I am and who I want to be through my academic studies, college life, and community involvement.
Cultural Forces
The community significantly shapes racial identity, encompassing characteristics related to racial identity development, such as community diversity and contingent socialization. According to Chan et al. (2022), the presence or absence of community diversity might influence multiracial individuals’ racial identity and socialization processes. When communities lack variety or are separated, multiracial people are more likely to face marginalization. This is due, in part, to the concept of race being based on mono-racial criteria. This means that members of society are often compelled to identify others as mono-racial and feel uneasy when they cannot.
Historical Forces
Several historical circumstances have shaped the rights and social perceptions of multiracial people in the US. Race is a manufactured cultural construct developed in the 1700s to divide human beings by geographical region and by phenotypic characteristics (Chan et al., 2022). Anti-miscegenation legislation enacted in the 17th and 19th centuries rendered interracial love, marriage, and cohabitation illegal (Chan et al., 2022). Tragic Mulatto was a term used at the time to describe those who grew up in Black/White families. This characterization described the offspring of such couplings as social misfits due to their mixed characteristics and their alleged difficulty settling into either the White or Black worlds.
In the nineteenth century, the Jim Crow Hypodescent legislation, commonly referred to as the one-drop rule, was enacted to provide oversight for the children of interracial marriage. According to the legislation, a multiracial person was classified as the Black race for just having a single drop of Black blood (Jee & Ghazali, 2019). This regulation was enacted to keep races apart and safeguard the racial integrity of the White race by banning multiracial people from adopting a White identity.
Experiential Forces
Multiracial people frequently struggle with how they identify themselves and how society perceives them. In my experience, individuals who identify as people of color face racial prejudice from a young age, leaving them feeling powerless, unequal, and unjust. How people see themselves is influenced by how society perceives them, which shapes an individual’s racial identity development. When society has preconceived notions about a person’s racial group, it can harm how that person perceives themselves and others.
However, the situation has improved recently, particularly since 2000 (Chan et al., 2022). The government began recognizing multiracial people in the census, allowing additional categories to be selected and increasing the number of possible combinations from 6 to 63 (Chan et al., 2022). This historic development formally recognized multiracial individuals as a unique community and drew attention to race as a manufactured social construct.
Spiritual Forces
Religion has long served as a distinguishing feature of cultural identity in many nations and communities. Growing up in the Mennonite community, I know that religion still affects beliefs, values, and behaviors, demonstrating a deep bond with culture. The sense of belonging and connection that people feel through religion to a specific culture is conveyed differently across civilizations. The Christian denomination emphasizes respect, peace, and service. Like their Christian brothers and sisters, Mennonites believe in the grand declarations of faith: God becoming human, Christ’s lordship, the power of the Gospel, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the authority of Scripture.
The US has dozens of religious groups, ranging from Christianity to Zoroastrianism. They all follow different religious texts and philosophies. Many people raised in a particular religion believe their religion is correct, even though it is typically more nuanced. The relationship between multiracial identity and spiritual energies is frequently intertwined with stories of self-discovery and belonging. As a person negotiating multiracial identities, spirituality provides peace, resilience, and cultural connection (Manolache, 2023).
It also provides a framework for exploring and reconciling the complexity of their heritage. I understand that spiritual practices and beliefs, whether rooted in indigenous traditions, provide channels for individuals to engage with their ancestors, battle with identity issues, and seek belonging beyond racial lines. They tend to emphasize themes of unity, inclusivity, and connectivity, which resonate with the experiences of people navigating the intersections of multiple racial and cultural backgrounds in a multicultural society.
Postmodern Theory
Early models of multiracial identity development were stage-based and progressive, but more contemporary ideas adopted a postmodernist perspective. Postmodernism emerged as a cultural and philosophical movement in the second half of the twentieth century, challenging modernity’s grand narratives and questioning the concept of universal truth (Kim, 2022). I find that postmodern theory and multiracial identity in the US have a complicated, entangled relationship, reflecting broader transformations in society’s perceptions of identity, culture, and power relationships. Their critique of essentialism and rigid identities is a critical component of the relationship.
Postmodernism challenges traditional concepts of identity, suggesting that identities are flexible, manufactured, and shaped by social and historical settings. The current rise in multiracial identity calls into question the notion of a single, dominant cultural identity, instead advocating the acceptance and affirmation of diverse artistic manifestations and perspectives. Therefore, both emphasize the need to recognize and accept cultural heterogeneity.
In the US, the link between postmodern theory and multiracial identity has influenced many aspects of society, including education, politics, and the arts. It has also impacted policies and activities that promote diversity and inclusion, such as affirmative action programs and intercultural education curricula. However, it is critical to recognize the conflicts and limitations at the junction of postmodern thought and multiracial identity.
Critics claim that postmodernism’s preference for relativism and fragmentation might hamper efforts to promote social justice and collective action (Kim, 2022). Multiracial identity continues to meet opposition from some who see it as an attack on traditional cultural norms or identity politics that maintains differences rather than encouraging proper understanding and dialogue.
People who seek counseling services come from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. The demand for multicultural counseling grows as populations become more diverse, necessitating that any professional counselor approach therapy in the broader context of the client’s world. The counselor’s cultural beliefs or biases must not take precedence over the client’s (Jee & Ghazali, 2019).
I find that counseling through a multiracial perspective is essential in our diverse environment, allowing counselors to assist people in underserved groups. Such a background is beneficial as it allows a counselor to develop knowledge, sensitivity, temperament, and personal awareness. The motivating force is to empower people from minority groups to approach the world in their own unique way.
Counselors and psychologists of any race must be sensitive and knowledgeable about the particular challenges and experiences of their clients. It is essential always to be caring and empathetic, and a multiracial identity allows therapists to address specific issues more effectively by considering how a patient’s perspective might differ from their own. They must also understand the features of treatment and how it affects different cultural groups (Jee & Ghazali, 2019).
As a counseling professional with a multiracial identity, I can engage in verbal and nonverbal communication that spans race or nationality, eliminating prejudice. To work gradually with different clients, as a counselor, I must acknowledge any preconceived notions about people based on their background. The competencies help ensure that people of all backgrounds receive the level of care they deserve.
Conclusion
Multiracial individuals face challenges in their developmental journey due to the lack of a clear way to identify themselves. The journey is influenced by numerous forces, including biological, cultural, historical, socioeconomic, experiential, and spiritual factors. Different theories and models, such as the postmodern theory, may be applied to understand individual experiences. Postmodern theory and multiracial identity in the US share common ground in their descriptions of identity, despite their complex and contradictory nature. The background provides a basis for preparing to work as a professional counselor, as it requires awareness of the different influences affecting clients.
References
Atkin, A. L., Christophe, N. K., Yoo, H. C., Gabriel, A. K., & Wu, C. S. (2021). The development and validation of the familial support of multiracial experiences scale. The Counseling Psychologist, 50(1), 40–66.
Chan, S., Blomdal, A., & Blomdal, A. (2022). Multiracial identity negotiation in a “monoracial” world. Pepperdine Journal of Communication Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research Research, 10.
Jee, N. K., & Ghazali, N. M. (2019). The influence of identity development on multicultural counselling competencies of counsellor trainees. Konselor, 8(3).
Kim, A. Y. (2022). Understanding postmodern identity among US young adults through an investigation of globalized interest. Culture & Psychology.
Manolache, M. (2023). Religion as cultural identity: Addressing misconceptions and examining attitudes. LEVEL.