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Charlottesville, Minnesota, D.C., Phoenix, NYC, and Dallas, Texas. These are just a few cities that have experienced severe racist events in 2017. For a country that prides itself on freedom and equality, there are still too many recent, race-fueled threats and attacks. A timeline of the past 100 years shows a decrease in publicly-held hatred based on race, but the goal is eradication – not minimization. Social and psychological professionals have found that this continued presence of racism traumatizes those directly and indirectly affected. “Racial trauma” isn’t restricted to age, but it is particularly dangerous to kids and young adults who suffer and manage the symptoms poorly.
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As parents, we want to imbue our moral compass in our kids so they can handle worldly issues as they present themselves. We can’t always be there when a situation arises, so we teach our kids discretion and help them build a strong foundation. But when do we introduce some of the heavier issues, such as racism, into their lives? If we wait too long, they may be affected or be the affector without a full understanding of racism’s gravity. If we introduce it too early, it may prematurely warp their perception of others.
We could speculate the appropriate age and never come to a definitive decision, but we can discuss racial trauma and how to help our kids process when it does present itself. Without support and assistance, kids can turn to less wholesome methods of handling their feelings that lands them in trouble with the law.
Racial Trauma: Causes and Symptoms
Exposure to discrimination and racism over time or during one intense moment can lead to serious mental and physical distress. It can come from an event you directly experience, or from repeated exposure to those negative events – from the news, on social media, within your community, etc. If you or your kids feel depression, humiliation, or irritable due to discrimination, then you are suffering from racial trauma. The symptoms are similar to PTSD which has also been recognized all too recently for the dangers it poses to the sufferer.
If you are worried your kids are suffering racial trauma, then look for the following warning signs:
- Increasingly sensitive to threats: They are suspicious of people and places, and avoid doing anything new or meeting new people. They also perceive threats or insults in places where there are none.
- Aggression: They are more defiant and stubborn, and attempt to control their surroundings. Outbursts of anger and gravitation towards violent solutions will surface as well.
- Substance abuse: They turn to alcohol, tobacco, or other substances to relieve their stress. Because substances cause only temporary relief, they overuse which leads to an unhealthy lifestyle and inebriated choices.
Substance abuse is particularly dangerous to young adults for multiple reasons. Besides known health risks, alcohol use can lead to poor decisions like fighting or driving under the influence. Additionally, your kids aren’t of legal age which puts them at risk with the law. According to research in 2014, 17% of African Americans between 12-20 years old said they were using alcohol. The report didn’t state if the alcohol use was a result of racial trauma, but we can assume some percentage was trying to cope with negative feelings caused by discrimination. It should also be noted that many races and ethnicities suffer from racial trauma, not just African Americans. The 2014 stat acts as an example of alcohol abuse among young adults who can suffer from racial trauma.
Juvenile Trouble Can Lead to Long-Term Destruction
Kids and young adults suffering from racial trauma can have increased aggression which is emphasized by alcohol use. The concoction increases the chance they will run into trouble with the law, and, unfortunately, juvenile offenses can lead to further trouble if you don’t help them realign their path.
According to information provided by the University of Cincinnati’s Criminal Justice program, juvenile incarceration results in a detriment to the offender and the community. Entering the system, even at the juvenile level, can have outstanding repercussions that inhibit their ability to resume normalcy. In fact, juvenile offenders are 67% more likely to return to jail by the age of 25, often as a result of being unable to fit back into society.
The justice system has realized punishment alone doesn’t help wayward minors, so they have been implementing new sanctions other than incarceration. Probation and residential placement, for example, give young adults a chance to rectify their mistakes under guided supervision instead of serving time in a facility.
New, professionally developed sanctions not only give offenders a second chance, but it helps identify those suffering racial trauma. Although there are consequences for actions, theirs have been driven by external factors which are taken into consideration. Professional therapists teach them how to process their feelings and avoid future mistakes thanks to poor coping methods. It’s preventative justice dedicated to helping over punishment.
Racial trauma is a serious consequence of continued discrimination within the U.S. Although the majority is dedicated to equality and fairness, it only takes one hateful experience to scar a young adult and drive them to find unhealthy coping mechanisms. Racism isn’t something we want to discuss or bring up, but every young adult of every race needs to appreciate how their actions and words affects others.
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RSVP for #StopRacism Weekly Calls
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Here is what we are doing at The Good Men Project that is new and innovative:
1) Weekly phone calls to create and build an activist community.
We are no longer simply writing and publishing posts to help #StopRacism, but we are now holding weekly calls designed to grow an activist community and create new leaders in the conversation. These calls are a part of our new initiative, Social Interest Groups, where like-minded people participate in weekly phone calls and then go out and create art, become activists, and connect with others. For the #StopRacism Social Interest Group, led by Maleeha Malik, who participated in the set of calls learned a shared vocabulary of racism, heard historical and more recent stories, and created a plan to empower their own activist community. (Note: You need to be gold or bronze premium member of The Good Men Project to join the calls—although you are welcome to try out one call for free.).
Calls are EVERY TUESDAY at 8 pm EST / 5 pm PST. After you register for this Social Interest Group, you will be receiving call-in information by email before the group begins.
2) A Facebook group to keep a cohesive community and get content and art out to the world.
The #StopRacism Facebook group now has hundreds of members—and we’ve only just begun. Although this is a closed group, anyone can join with permission. You need not be a premium member nor part of GMP in any way—-you only need to care about stopping racism in our society. This is an easy, community-oriented way of getting people to take the first step to becoming activists.
3) Classes to teach people how to build a platform, create art and viral hits, become more politically involved and create social change.
People tell us our classes change them immediately and bring them results over time. See our full schedule of courses here. (For custom classes for your group, non-profit, school or corporation, email [email protected])
4) A huge library of insightful and impactful content.
that approaches racism from a wide variety of viewpoints, and is designed to meet people where they are on their journey to becoming a #StopRacism activist. Here is a post that has some of our very best posts on race and racism. But our goal is to publish at least on new post per day on this topic. We are very close to doing that right now. Anyone interested in contributing to this conversation can SUBMIT HERE. We take both original work and previously published work.
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Photo credit: Getty Images