Intersectional Dynamics of Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration: Examining Health Outcomes among Black Immigrant Youth through Ethnic-Racial Identity Development and Critical Consciousness.

Abstract

Despite the rise in racial justice and immigrant rights movements in the United States of America (USA), the experiences of Black immigrants at the intersection of these movements remain undertheorized. For Black immigrant youth, these experiences - marked by anti-Black racism and xenophobia - can significantly impact psychological well-being and physical health, particularly during adolescence, a crucial period of identity formation and sociopolitical awareness. We propose the Intersectional Dynamics of Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration (ID-REI) theoretical framework that explores how distal (e.g., structural racism, sociopolitical relations between countries) and proximal (e.g., ethnic-racial socialization, family and individual cultural practices) factors related to race, ethnicity, and immigration interact to influence health outcomes through ethnic-racial identity (ERI) development and critical consciousness. The ID-REI theoretical framework emphasizes the unique challenges faced by Black immigrant youth, while highlighting the developmental assets of ERI and critical consciousness as protective mechanisms to mitigate adverse mental and physical health outcomes.