Despite the experience of Black Canadians in navigating different aspects of systemic

racism, this population has demonstrated remarkable resilience. While the literature exhibits

some disagreement about the meaning of resilience, this current study defines resilience as

positive adaptation to adversity (Luthar, 2006). Statistics Canada (2020) found that when

experiencing adversity, Black people display exceptional perseverance. In comparison to 33% of

the general Canadian population, approximately 44% of Black Canadians reported the ability to

recover after facing difficult conditions or experiences. Moreover, 65% of Black Canadians,

compared to 48% of the general Canadian population, demonstrated learning from negative

experiences, which helped them to make sense of the experience. Statistics Canada (2020) also

reported that in comparison to White individuals, Black Canadians demonstrated a higher

likelihood of continuing their normal life routines after difficult experiences.

To better understand the resilience of Black Canadians, Ungar (2011) developed the

socioecological model of resilience, which provides a comprehensive framework for

conceptualizing the way in which Black Canadians navigate and overcome adversity. Ungar

argued that four principles facilitate the understanding of resilience: decentrality, complexity,

atypicality, and cultural relativity. The first principle, decentrality, transfers the responsibility for

positive adaptation from individuals to social ecologies, such as families and communities.

Complexity examines the multiple pathways that can foster resilience in an individual. Since the

various pathways differ among individuals, the concept of atypicality considers the manifestation

of pathways in unconventional ways that define a person’s relationship with their ecology.

Lastly, the fourth principle, cultural relativity, emphasizes the way in which cultural components

such as beliefs, values, and customs shape an individual’s understanding of meaningful resources

and support systems, thus influencing their resilience mechanisms. Based on these four

principles, Ungar (2011) hypothesized that resilience constitutes a complex process between

individuals and social ecologies. This process influences individuals to utilize opportunities and

resources that exist within their own capabilities as well as their social systems to demonstrate

resilience. Ungar’s model explains the resilience of Black Canadians by showing how the role of

racial identity and self-esteem constitute a resource present in Black individuals as well as

highlighting the role of community as an external resource. Since many Black communities have

collectivist roots, the role of community is an especially important aspect of understanding

resilience.

Racial Identity and Self-Esteem as Catalysts for Resilience in the Black Community

Lee and Ahn (2013) examined racial identity as a reason for the increased resilience of

Black Canadians. Racial identity involves an individual’s identification with other people who

have been socialized as belonging to a particular racial group. This concept also includes an

association with others of the same ethnic group, which contains shared cultural values and

beliefs (Helms, 1993; Phinney, 1996). Lea and Ahn (2013) found that Black individuals report

higher levels of racial identity, which serves as a protective factor against the negative

consequences of racism and discrimination. Moreover, Liu et al. (2021) examined the influence

of self-esteem on resiliency in early adolescence. These authors, who defined self-esteem as the

feeling of self-satisfaction and self-worth, reported that self-esteem positively predicted

resilience. When studying the self-esteem of Black populations, researchers have consistently

found that the Black community, in comparison to the rest of the population, generally scores

higher in self-esteem, providing a foundation for navigating and overcoming the challenges

posed by systemic racism and discrimination (Bachman et al., 2011; Gray-Little & Hafdahl,

2000; Twenge & Crocker, 2000).

One reason that the Black community experiences higher self-esteem arises from the

different social supports involved in the lives of Black people, such as family members, extended

family, community, churches, and neighbours. These resources all provide valuable insights and

lessons as well as promote individual protective mechanisms and support for the Black

community (Belgrave & Allison, 2010). Furthermore, the Black community has endured a long

history of victimization, such as slavery, which created what Vollhardt (2020) calls collective

victimhood. Collective victimhood refers to the subjective experience of collective victimization,

including a sense of awareness about the victimization as well as the various ways in which

individuals construe, interpret, and understand the collective harm and oppression that they

experienced (Vollhardt, 2020). Using a similar definition, Muldoon et al. (2020) found that

although membership in a victimized group can cause trauma and negative experiences, this

status can also promote psychological resilience by providing access to social support within the

group. Other researchers found that in different racial groups, such as Indigenous membership in

a victimized group enhanced individuals’ abilities to cope with adversities, especially with the

help of one own’s community. In addition, this status fostered resilience due to the collective

experience of overcoming historical and systemic challenges (Cloud Ramirez & Hammack,

2014; Hatala et al., 2016; Wexler, 2014).

Unveiling the Strengths and Resilience of High-Achieving Black Individuals

Despite the potential importance of resilience and strengths in promoting positive

outcomes for Black individuals during adversity, very limited research has addressed this topic.

However, a few studies highlight the natural resilience and strength of the Black community,

providing important information about some elements that encourage Black people to succeed.

The authors of these studies all highlight the importance of connecting with other Black

individuals and communities, especially in environments dominated by White people. Other

factors that encourage high achievement among Black individuals include higher levels of racial

identity, greater community engagement, and positive mentorship or role modelling (Harper,

2005; Marsh et al., 2012; & Warde, 2008).