Racial Trauma

First, know that racial trauma is real. According to Mental Health America, racial trauma refers to "the mental and emotional injury caused by encounters with racial bias and ethnic discrimination, racism and hate crimes." Such experiences can have psychological impacts on individuals and communities.

What can you do?

Being proactive in your self-care is paramount. 

• Understand that you need to take breaks from social media, the internet and the news.
• Talk to family and friends about what's bothering you, but also about anything but the topic at hand. Sometimes you need to step away.
• Accept the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance). It is normal to grieve the loss of lives due to police brutality.
• Take care of your mind and body—practice mindfulness, exercise, take a shower or practice another form of self-care to heal from the physical impact of trauma.
• Channel your anger—turn it into something positive by spreading awareness and taking action.

As GirlTREK notes, self-care is a revolutionary act.

Get help if you need it.

Seek professional help from a licensed therapist or reach out to someone you trust at Hood.

• For Hood Students: Hood College Health and Counseling Services 
• For Hood employees: BHS Employee Assistance Program 
• NAMI (National Alliance Mental Health)
• SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
• Advanced Behavioral Health
• Thriving Campus

Other resources

• Project Let’s Resources on Race & Mental Health
• Racial Trauma Toolkit
• Black Muslim Community Trauma Toolkit
• Self-Care Toolkit for Undocumented Communities
• Asian Mental Health Project
• The Brown Girl Therapy Newsletter 
• Therapy for Black Girls Thrive Tribe Facebook Group
• We R Native