Approximate reading time: 4 minutes

Pre-encounter

Anaya is a 27-year-old South Asian Muslim woman, currently enrolled in her second year of medical school in the United States. She has always been proud of her cultural heritage but has not reflected deeply on how her race and religion might affect her experiences. Growing up in a diverse neighbourhood, Anaya didn’t feel her race was significant (Pre-encounter stage). She worked hard, following the example set by her immigrant parents, internalizing a belief that merit, not ethnicity, is what matters in society.

Anaya wears a hijab as part of her faith, but she initially perceived it as more of a personal choice than a symbol of her racial or religious identity. At the medical school, however, she found herself to be one of the very few women wearing a hijab. Other students and instructors subtly treated her differently, making her feel othered. She often experienced microaggressions such as peers saying, “You speak English so well,” or instructors overly praising her for “participating” in group discussions, as if her involvement was surprising.

Encounter

This continuous stream of experiences marked her Encounter stage. Anaya started recognizing the impact of her race and religion on her daily experiences. The dissonance in a merit-based society between her belief and her experiences of bias led her to reconsider her views on race. She found it distressing that her competence was questioned simply due to her race and religious beliefs.

Immersion/Emersion

During the Immersion/Emersion stage, Anaya sought solace and understanding within her racial and religious community. She joined a local South Asian student group and a Muslim women’s association. These groups allowed her to delve deeper into her cultural heritage and religion, providing a supportive space to share experiences and navigate challenges. During this period, Anaya harboured anger and resentment towards her peers and instructors, who seemingly dismissed her capabilities because of her hijab. She distanced herself from non-Muslim and non-South Asian peers, focusing on bonding with those who shared her experiences.

Internalization

In the Internalization stage, Anaya started feeling more comfortable and secure in her identity. The connections she’d made within her own racial and religious community were essential, but she realised that she didn’t want to limit herself. She started actively participating in school-wide events, discussions, and clinical groups, presenting herself as a competent medical student who also happens to wear a hijab. Anaya still recognized the existence of racism and bias, but she refused to let it define her. Instead, she chose to embrace the diversity and learn from everyone around her.

Internalization-Commitment

As she moved into the Internalization-Commitment stage, Anaya felt a responsibility to address the racial biases she’d encountered. She used her experiences to advocate for diversity training within the medical school. She also worked with school administration to organize workshops on cultural competency and sensitivity. By making these efforts, Anaya was not only accepting her own racial identity, but actively working to promote a more inclusive, understanding environment in her school and future profession.

Anaya’s journey through Tatum’s stages of Racial Identity Development highlights the often painful but ultimately empowering process of recognising racial identity. It illustrates how, through confrontation with racism and bias, individuals can transform their experiences into opportunities for personal growth and advocacy for social justice.