This brief reports findings from a virtual community mapping study on protective community resources (PCRs). Participants included 12 Black “emerging adults”: seven women and five men, all ages 18 to 25. The study highlights:
- The holistic way in which Black emerging adults perceived “well-being,” including social and mental, physical, economic, and cultural dimensions
- The PCRs that helped these young people achieve the key developmental tasks of emerging adulthood (i.e., identity, autonomy, and intimacy)
- Implications for research and practice on how to better understand and leverage PCRs to promote the holistic well-being of Black emerging adults
Emerging adulthood is a period of development between late adolescence and adulthood, typically from the ages of 18 to 25 (although this period is often extended to age 29). According to Jeffrey Arnett, who coined the term in 2000, emerging adulthood is characterized by “identity explorations, feeling ‘in-between,’ instability, self-focus, and possibilities” as young people move toward greater independence and responsibility. For young Black people, though, systemic racism can make navigating these aspects of emerging adulthood more complex and risky.