Many young black men involved with crime and other negative behaviours have low self-esteem and an unhealthy view of themselves as black people.The statement was made last night by Bermuda College professor Quinton Sherlock, who said many of the Island's anti-social young people had an “anti-black” view of themselves.This means that while being black is very important to this group, it is not a positive force.Mr Sherlock said: “What happens here is this black male has personalised the negative stereotypes that are so often disseminated through the television, rap music and through the various different news mediums.“He engages in behaviour that doesn't reflect a love for oneself or love for one's community. As he is taking in messages from television and media he is very angry and often times redirects that anger at himself or others in his own community.”Mr Sherlock was discussing a theory by Dr William Cross Jr's called ‘nigrescence', which looks at several variations of black identities, at an event put on by the Bermuda College.According to this theory, there are those black people who have pre-encountered identities. Some have assimilated to Western values and beliefs and don't believe being black hinders them in their progression in society.While others are miseducated and afraid of their blackness, black history and culture.The identity of most importance to the current plague of youth crime and violence affecting the Island was the “anti-black” view, which usually resulted in low self-esteem and poor mental health functioning.It also could lead to self destructive behaviours and displays of self hating, Mr Sherlock explained.“The dangers [of the anti-black identity] are what we are experiencing today in the form of gang activities and gun violence,” he said.“They are using the information presented by the popular culture to define who they are, but often times it is not really productive for the black male in its representation.”According to Dr Cross' theory, there is another state of mature consciousness, known as internalised identities.Black people who have reached this stage of consciousness view the world and experiences through a positive African-centered lens.They are consciously aware of their history and culture and do not define themselves by what mainstream society or European history text books have told them.Mr Sherlock said it usually took one significant encounter either through positive black teachings or racism that caused people in the pre-encounter stages to question the way they saw themselves or the world and transition to the internatilised stages.According to the lecturer there were ways to get young black men away from their “anti-black” views.He said former programmes like Ashay, implemented by Melody Micere Van Putten at Dellwood Middle School from 2003 to 2007, taught young people another perspective on history and themselves.Mrs Van Putten, who was present at last night's lecture, said it was a character-education initiative, which taught young people values that had origins based in black history.Mr Sherlock called for such programmes to be implemented within the public school system and correctional facilities and said people should talk and write to the country's leaders about taking action.Outside of the schools, he said it was also important for parents of black children to teach them about their history, such as by getting them books with positive black messages.He also called for community leaders with a passion and knowledge of black history to start teaching young people outside schools, in youth groups and sports clubs.All these could make a positive difference and “challenge the black males to break the negative stereotypes that are presented to him by modern media, society and culture,” he said.Mr Sherlock said this theory was only one approach to tackle the issues plaguing the Island with young, black males and said some others were also equally as effective.