Why Is the Knowledge of One's Ethnic Identity So Crucial

Why is the knowledge of one's ethnic identity so crucial to people and especially adolescents?

A) Strong identification with the mainstream culture is critical for adolescents.
B) Adolescents who have a strong ethnic identity tend to have higher self-esteem.
C) Identifying with the mainstream culture weakens ethnic identity in some groups but not others.
D) Successive generations may have an increasingly weaker ethnic identity.