Let’s Heal Our Racial Traumas
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to recognize the importance of caring for our mental health and dismantle the shame and stigma that too often comes with talking about mental health. And this year, it feels especially important.
To say it has been a challenging year would be a massive understatement. Aside from the perils of the COVID-19 pandemic, next week marks one year since George Floyd was murdered with thousands of us bearing witness. Since that time, we have seen millions of Americans take to the streets in protest of racism and police brutality. We’ve seen organizations and institutions promise to make changes. And, unfortunately, we have continued to see many more Black and Latinx/Hispanic people killed at the hands of police, in addition to rising acts of violence towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Watching a never-ending cycle of violence against people of color, whether from police bodycams or from the iPhone videos of passersby, is deeply traumatizing, especially to those of us who are BIPOC. It impacts our nervous systems, our digestion, our emotions, our ability to complete day-to-day tasks, how much energy we have, and how we interact with our families and colleagues. It dampens our moods, drains our energy, and makes us tired and fragile. For Black Americans, this process has been observed in medical research contexts and labeled as “weathering,” a phenomenon in which coping with the stress of racism causes Black people’s health to literally deteriorate. It’s horrific — but it’s a reality too many of our Black siblings face.
For Black Americans, this process has been observed in medical research contexts and labeled as “weathering,”
It can feel impossible to unplug from this barrage of trauma. Between the nonstop news cycle, the push notifications on our phones, and our attempts to check in on our loved ones, it feels like we are never not talking about violence and racism. And while it’s a good thing to be engaged and informed, and to participate in the civil actions that will ultimately bring about a more compassionate and just society, doing this 24/7 is unsustainable, and in fact, harmful.
During a time when racialized violence feels more omnipresent than it’s been in some of our lifetimes, it is more important than ever to take care of ourselves. We must move beyond the dehumanizing narratives and damaging media tropes about people of color and invest deeply in our healing and the healing of our communities. I know this sounds like it’s easier said than done. But it can happen. I am a living proof of it, as someone who overcame depression and suicidal ideation that can stem from our racially charged environment.
We must move beyond the dehumanizing narratives and damaging media tropes about people of color and invest deeply in our healing and the healing of our communities.
You may at first be hesitant to prioritize yourself during a period when so many urgent issues need our attention. I know I have felt this way before. But you cannot pour from an empty cup. We will all be best positioned to change our world for the better if we’re rested, healthy, and grounded, as difficult as that may seem.
How do we go about this?
First, unplug from the media regularly. Choose a time to turn off your phone and close your laptop and replace this time with something active and nourishing for your body and mind, like going for a walk or a bike ride. Intentionally being in the body, instead of glued to a screen, can have profound effects on our well-being. I personally engage in a daily loving kindness meditation for myself, a workout or yoga practice of some sort, and taking time to cook. You’ll feel an immediate difference in your body and brain, even more so if you make it a habit. You can also spend this time meditating, reading or writing, or otherwise enjoying the space that comes from blocking out the news, even if just for an hour or two.
Next, it is so important to connect to your loved ones who are also hurting from this avalanche of racial trauma. Call, text, FaceTime, or spend time with people who elevate your spirits. Reminisce about the times together that have brought you joy. Find reasons to laugh. (Did you know laughter reduces stress and boosts your immune system?) Let happy times from your past propel you through this difficult present moment. I regularly do this with my family or friends by sharing popular memes or jokes to take my mind off of the heaviness in our collective psyche. If your closest ones are unavailable or not consistent sources of joy right now, try connecting with music or a podcast that transmits themes of love and unconditional acceptance. Mahalia Jackson and India.Arie are two of my favorite artists for these purposes.
Finally, build what I call your board of champions. This is a group of people — living or not, known to you or not — to whom you can turn for strength and resilience during troubled times. You are not the first person to experience the challenges we are facing today. Our ancestors and many generations of human beings have been there before us. Read about them. Learn about them. Consider making a collage of their images to bolster your connection to them on a cellular level. Allow them to empower you to feel more capable of handling the challenges ahead and less alone in this journey. For me, some of these people include my mother, my grandmother, Oprah Winfrey, Paramahansa Yogananda, Joy Harjo, Victor Frankl, Grace Lee Boggs, and the Dalai Lama. As we move through this moment and take on whatever lies ahead, you’ll have spiritual mentors at the ready to guide you through what comes next.
We are living in extremely difficult times, but we’re not doing so alone. Dear ones, please take care of yourselves and of those in your communities. Spare a moment to think of George Floyd and his loved ones when you can, to wish them peace and healing. It is only together that we will weather this storm and come out stronger, united, and ready to create the world we wish to live in.