The incident surrounding Sebastien De La Cruz, the young Mexican American boy who sang the US national anthem, sparked a troubling conversation about identity and belonging in America. At Game 3 of the NBA finals, this 11-year-old talented singer, dressed in a Mariachi suit, performed “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Instead of praise for his performance, a wave of hateful and racist comments flooded social media, questioning his right to sing the anthem due to his Mexican heritage. It’s disheartening to consider that Sebastien himself reportedly felt responsible for this backlash, even suggesting he shouldn’t have worn his Mariachi attire.
This event raises important questions about who is considered a “true” American and the insidious nature of prejudice. While some may dismiss these reactions as isolated incidents from a fringe minority, the potential psychological impact on young people like Sebastien, and the broader implications for societal understanding, cannot be ignored.
The Enduring Scar of Early Encounters with Prejudice
Experiences of discrimination, especially during formative years, can leave lasting emotional scars. Much like Sebastien’s experience, my own childhood encounter with racism vividly illustrates this point. As a five-year-old in kindergarten, I faced racial slurs that, even without fully understanding their meaning, instilled a sense of fear and otherness. The teacher’s attempt to address the situation, though perhaps unconventional, highlighted the deep sting of feeling targeted for one’s identity. This early incident shifted my perspective from innocent openness to guarded self-consciousness, a protective mechanism against future pain.
Sebastien’s experience occurred during his crucial formative years, a period when identity and self-concept are actively developing. During this stage, children are particularly vulnerable to external perceptions and societal messages about their place in the world.
Collective Self-Esteem and the Impact of Societal Perception
Research emphasizes that self-concept is not solely an internal construct but is significantly shaped by how external groups perceive one’s race and culture. The concept of collective self-esteem, a four-dimensional model developed by Luhtanen and Crocker (1992), provides a valuable framework for understanding this dynamic. This model outlines key aspects of how individuals perceive themselves as members of a group:
Dimensions of Collective Self-Esteem
- Membership Esteem: This dimension reflects an individual’s sense of their value and competence as a group member. It’s about how well they believe they function within their identity group.
- Private Collective Self-Esteem: This involves an individual’s personal evaluation of their identity group. It’s about their private feelings and opinions about belonging to that group.
- Public Collective Self-Esteem: This dimension pertains to an individual’s perception of how their identity group is viewed and valued by broader society. It addresses the belief that others respect and appreciate their group.
- Identity Collective Self-Esteem: This focuses on the significance of group membership to an individual’s overall self-concept. It measures how central their group identity is to who they are.
Luhtanen and Crocker’s research suggests that members of marginalized or devalued groups are susceptible to internalizing negative stereotypes. Critically, they found that even if an individual holds a positive personal self-evaluation, negative external evaluations of their group can significantly harm their emotional well-being. These negative perceptions are linked to increased risks of depression, hopelessness, and dissatisfaction with life.
Therefore, while Sebastien De La Cruz may express resilience in the face of racist reactions to his Mexican heritage and performance of the national anthem, the potential long-term psychological effects should not be underestimated. My own experience, and the framework of collective self-esteem, underscores the enduring impact of early encounters with prejudice and the importance of addressing these issues seriously. Dismissing such incidents as inconsequential marginalizes the real harm they inflict and hinders progress towards a truly inclusive society. We must strive to understand the profound ramifications of these experiences and work towards fostering genuine acceptance and belonging for all.
