Growing up in a predominantly Black community I received constant positive reinforcement about being Black. Very early in life I knew I was black, but I was also taught early on that black people were just as amazing as anyone else. To reinforce this thought I was exposed to Black teachers, Black doctors, Black hairdressers, and tons of other Black professionals. While many people may have been exposed to the limits of what it might have meant to live life with black skin at that time, I had the opposite experience. I was exposed to all the possibilities of black greatness. My social support strengthened the development of my racial identity by serving as a countervoice to most of the messages I received daily from entities such as the media. People like my family and teachers taught me that my blackness was beautiful and that being black was something I should be proud of. This strong immersion in the grandeur of blackness at an early age served as a protective factor in my racial development. I grew up believing all the wonderful things about black people that I was taught. It was only when I started working, in different environments, that these voices were questioned