Shantila Caston, LMSW – Mental Health Therapist/ Diversity Outreach Specialists, UNI

Juana Hollingsworth, MSW - Assistant Director of Diversity Recruitment, UNI

Keyah Levy, MA – Assistant Director, Center For Multicultural Education, UNI

Impacts of Historical Trauma on African Americans

Its Effects on Navigating White Spaces

Objectives

• Define important characteristics of Race related stress.• Identify adverse responses due to race related stress.• Understand resources available to navigate white spaces

& cope with race related stress.• Ways to enhance quality of life despite historical trauma

and race related stress

● Cumulative emotional, physical, psychological, etc. harm of individuals, groups or generations caused by traumatic experience(s) or event(s)

○ Trauma affects our social and emotional intelligence○ Even individuals not directly target can experience the effects of the events○ Results in adaptive behaviors both positive & negative (resilience or cycle of

abuse)

*Other associated terms: transgenerational trauma, intergenerational trauma, vicarious trauma, Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, (hurt people, hurt people...violent people are not born they are breed, etc.)

Historical TraumaDr. Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart, PhD, 1980’s

Historical Trauma: Slavery

Epigenetics

Present Day Trauma

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Juana

Race- Related Stress

● Psychological distress associated with experiences of

racism.

● Effects of ethnic group membership on the quality of

life.

*Other associated terms: historical trauma response

Race Related Stressors

• Stereotype threat- The fear one’s actions will confirm existing stereotypes about a person’s self-identified racial/ethnic group.

• Imposter Phenomenon- when people of color internalize the negative racial stereotypes about the capabilities of their own racial/ethnic group in comparison to the white majority.

Other Race Related Stressors▪ What are Microaggressions? a statement, action, or incident regarded as an instance of

indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group such as a racial or ethnic minority.

▪ Microaggressions are subtle, yet pervasive acts of racism(or the like); these can be brief remarks, vague insults, or even non-verbal exchanges

▪ Examples

• Statements: “Why are you so loud?”

• Actions: Not sitting next to a black person or crossing the street,locking your doors, or clutching your bag when you see a black person

Fordham University Photo Campaign (2013)

Effects of Race Related Stressors…..

• Racial Battle Fatigue • Hyper Emotional Responses• Negative Coping Mechanisms• Chronic Health Concerns

Racial Battle Fatigue (RBF)

▪ The physical and psychological toll of racialized micro-aggressions; particularly when navigating personal and professional spaces that have historically favored white people. These conditions emerged from constantly facing racially dismissive, demeaning, insensitive and/or hostile racial environments and individuals.

Racial Battle Fatigue (RBF) Symptoms

▪ Fatigue▪ Headaches▪ Increased sickness ▪ Jumpiness▪ Insomnia▪ Rapid mood swings▪ Emotional or Social Withdraw

Vicarious Trauma

Hyper Emotional Responses

▪ Anger

▪ Fear

▪ Self blame

▪ Self doubt

▪ Sadness

▪ Isolation

▪ Frustration

▪ Resentment

▪ Helplessness

▪ Hopelessness

▪ Worthlessness

▪ Shame

▪ Guilt

▪ Paranoia

Health Concerns

▪ Depression

▪ Anxiety

▪ PTSD

▪ Elevated Blood Pressure▪ Heart disease ▪ Muscle tension

▪ Other related mental health concerns

▪ Overall poor life satisfaction/quality of life

▪ Avoidance

▪ Isolating behaviors

▪ Substance use

Negative Coping Mechanisms

Presenter

Presentation Notes

SHAN Racial bias in pain assessment and treatment recommendations in health care.

Oppression

● The state of being subject to unjust treatment or control● Prejudice + Power.

○ The systematic targeting or marginalization of one social group by a more powerful social group for the social, economic, and political benefit of the more powerful social group.

○ Oppression can manifest through racism, classim, sexism, heterosexim, and other isms.

○ Only the dominant group can be oppressive (i.e. racist, classist, etc.) because only the dominant group has the power.

○ Oppression is the losing end of privilege (Allen Johnson).

*PenSource Leadership Strategies

Types of Oppression• Internalized Oppression: The ideation that persons begin to believe the

lies that the oppressors tell them about their status as inferior such as that they are the problem and they are less worthy.

• Structural/Systemic Oppression: is oppression which is built in structures which facilitate how some organization, society or the like works• Laws, customs, and practices that systematically produce inequities to maintain a

hierarchy• Institutional Oppression: is the systematic mistreatment of people

within a social identity group, supported and enforced by the society and its institutions, solely based on the person's membership in the social identity group

Intersectionality

How can we be the solution and not the problem…..

▪ Build a support network

▪ Spirituality

▪ Positive cultural identity

▪ Identity Development

▪ Positive self talk

▪ Self care

▪ Advocacy

▪ Ally versus Accomplice

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