Put it in God's hands: Understanding the complexities of religiosity and spirituality in the lives of Black youth

Abstract

Black youth traverse beyond their immediate familial environment to understand different social identities, such as ethnicity, race, gender, and sexual orientation. In this article, we draw on the integrative model for the study of stress in Black American families and intersectionality as guides in comprehending the role of religiosity and spirituality for Black youth navigating mundane extreme environmental stressors. We examine the role of religiosity and spirituality as a culturally strength-based coping asset for Black youth. We also explore marginalized social identities among Black youth, specifically how religiosity and spirituality can be experienced as a stressor for Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual, and others youth. Finally, we underscore the importance of using a culturally responsive framework and an intersectional lens to understand the role of religiosity and spirituality in the lives of all Black youth.