On different campuses across the world, they are planting a system to create a change for diversity. Fund opportunities for students of diversity.
Race Based Trauma is and refers to the mental and emotional injury caused by encounters with racial bias and ethnic discrimination, racism, and hate crimes. Any individual that has experienced an emotionally painful, sudden, and uncontrollable racist encounter is at risk of suffering from a race-based traumatic stress injury.
To help the stress reduce in this is situation or any other situation that you do want to be in by using the 5-step process:
Dr. Boddie
I’ll go through it with you. Hold up your hand; start with saying 5 things that you see, then breathe.. then continue down until you hit number 1 or you start to feel better or safe.
- 5- Things that I see
- 4- Things that I can touch
- 3- Things that I hear
- 2- Things that I smell (hopefully pleasant)
- 1- Thing that I taste (or would like to taste)
Dr. Wendi Wills discussed about how much we can make impactful changes if we are proximate to the lived experiences of those who have been impacted by racism. The only way that we are going to make any progress on this journey to racial healing and justice is if we have space and time to truly honor the stories of those impacted and come up with solutions.
Listening is a powerful tool. It’s a tool that we don’t use enough; especially in society today. We also have to remember to practice sitting with discomfort listening to some stories that are uncomfortable. So that listening with discomfort we can come out on the other side healed and give other people the opportunity to become closer to understand what people are experiencing.
Wendi Wills
Pay attention to the behaviors that have practically become innate. The ones that are almost like a reflex or just come out without you thinking about it. These certain behaviors are just as bad as blatant racism. You can’t fix a problem that you are unaware of.
Recognize that your actions have an impact. Change your behavior.
Racism happens all over the campus of SIUC (Southern Illinois University- Carbondale) and also all over the world. From race-based traumatic injuries, hate crime, cruel and intentional acts, to the systematic racism and institutional barriers. Vicarious trauma by how the media and some news events and police shootings are impacting the day to days existence. Some of the symbols that we’re using; the intergenerational symbols, monuments, confederate flags that you hear about how they carry down from generations.
Students are most impacted by the silence. When these things happen you need to speak out about them. Meanwhile, going through a national pandemic.
Jaime Clark
The most important thing the SIU and others need to know going forward is that race – based trauma can have impacts on the wiring of our brains. They can create symptoms like PTSD, but isn’t even treated or known how to be treated in the health field.
Just because racism is happening, you don’t see it happening all the time everywhere. It is still going on. In the classroom, athletics department and at games. Create a safe space of ally ship, and just because you don’t identify with the group that is being judged or oppressed doesn’t mean you can’t help.
Kyra Hunter
(YouTube link below; start at 6:15)
All the love,
Cheyenne
Break The Comfort Box! 