"When Audre Lorde wrote about caring for oneself in her essay collection A Burst of Light in 1988, she called it 'an act of self-preservation.' Caring for yourself becomes a way of preserving yourself in a world that can be hostile to your identity, your community, and your way of life. We come across the term “self-care” everywhere now, and its meaning has been corrupted considerably. But it is vital in a time like this to care for yourself and your community. The Black community has seen their physical and emotional health impacted by discrimination and the ongoing stress of living in a culture of white supremacy. Even folks who survive violence continue to be harmed by it- for example, we know that the constant sharing online of images and videos of violence against Black folks adds to the trauma."

Support Sessions & Events

  • 6/3/20 – SLAC Conversation About Racial Justice

  • 6/4/20 – Reflection and Solidarity Event – We heard from members of our community and reflected through music, word and silence. 

Counseling and Therapy Resources 

Sista Afya (therapy and groups primarily for black women 18-35) 

Therapy for Black Girls (podcast, directory of culturally competent therapists, free group support sessions) 

Inclusive Therapists (database to provide therapists with training for racial trauma and connect people of all identities, abilities, and bodies with culturally sensitive care; many therapists offer reduced-fee teletherapy options to ensure that financial limitations do not keep people from pursuing care) 

Decolonizing Therapy and Viva Wellness are two other therapy practices with active online platforms that offer helpful resources 

American Counseling Association- Trauma and Disaster Resources 

Other Resources 

In her TEDx Talk, Megan Francis calls out "fix-all" cures to complex social problems and traces the root causes of our current racial climate.
While this article is specially written by a white woman for white women, it is helpful to a much larger audience including non-black POC and white folks, especially in the era of social media where buzzwords and performative allyship reign supreme.
 
What is "optical allyship," why is it important to be cognizant of it, and what are concrete steps non-black POC and white folks can do to continue to dismantle white supremacy? Click through for some ideas.

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