Growing up in a predominantly black community, I received constant positive reinforcement about being black. Very early in my life, I knew I was black, but I was also taught very early on that black people were just as amazing as anyone else. To reinforce this thought, I was exposed to Black professors, Black doctors, Black hairstylists, and tons of other Black professionals. While many people may have been exposed to the limitations of what it meant to live a life with black skin during this time, I had the opposite experience. I was exposed to all the possibilities for black greatness. My social support reinforced my racial identity development by acting as a counter-voice to many 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 to be proud of. This strong immersion in the grandeur of blackness from an early age served as a protective factor in my racial development. I grew up believing all the wonderful things I was taught about black people. It was only when I started working, in diverse environments, that these voices were challenged.