“To our Black GSEC community members: We see you. We value you. We are in solidarity with you.”

A message from the Graduate School Diversity Committee, including a compilation of coping resources for racial trauma.

Dear GSEC Community,

We write to you today in response to the continued anti-Blackness and violence against Black bodies that continues within the U.S., even in the midst of a global pandemic. We cannot remain silent and complicit when it comes to the injustices happening all around us. In the wise words of Desmond Tutu,

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

While our entire community is impacted by these events, our experiences are NOT the same. We (non-Black community members) acknowledge that our Black friends, peers, colleagues, families and communities are suffering more than we are. We strive to support you all during these trying times. Anti-Blackness is real. Racial trauma is real.

To our Black GSEC community members: We see you. We value you. We are in solidarity with you. Your experiences are valid. We send you compassion and space for you to respond in whatever way necessary. We honor and respect how you and your communities respond as we know our experiences are different and therefore should not judge how you respond. We acknowledge that you and your communities are tired. We vow to center your voices. We vow to continue educating ourselves on anti-Blackness. We vow to disrupt anti-Blackness in our families, communities, and more importantly, in ourselves. We are here in solidarity with you.

Coping Resources for Racial Trauma (compiled by Dr. Thema & Dr. Earl Turner)

Books:

• The Inner Work of Racial Justice-Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities Through Mindfulness by Rhonda V. Magee, MA, JD
• Restorative Yoga for Ethnic and Race-Based Stress and Trauma by Dr. Parker www.drgailparker.com
• Healing Racial Trauma by Sheila Wise Rowe: The Road to Resilience • Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
• Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin and Robert Bonazzi
• Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria: And Other Conversations About Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum
• Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by layla saad
• How to be an Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi Meditation

Exercises:

• Black Lives Matter Meditation for Healing Racial Trauma by Dr. Candice Nicole http://drcandicenicole.com/2016/07/black-lives-matter-meditation/
• https://soulfulness4life.com/

Apps:

• Liberate app: Liberate is the #1 meditation app for the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color community. Listen to dozens of guided meditations to ease anxiety, find gratitude, heal internalized racism and microaggressions and celebrate Blackness
• The Safe Place: A Minority Mental Health app geared towards the Black community to bring awareness, education and hope

Podcasts:

• The Breakdown with Dr. Earl: A Mental Health Podcast
• The Homecoming Podcast with Dr. Thema
• Shaping the Shift by Thea Monyee, LMFT
• Therapy for Black Girls by Dr. Joy Harden

“When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we’ illness becomes wellness.” ~Malcolm X

In Solidarity,
GSEC Diversity Committee