Content adapted from Micalah Webster's Resources for Black Healing.

• BlackLine - a 24/7 national crisis support hotline (with a text option as well) provides a space for peer support and counseling, reporting of mistreatment, and affirming the lived experiences to those who are most impacted by systematic oppression. Operated with an LGBTQ+ Black Femme affirming lens.
• 7 Mental Health Resources for Black People Right now from @jesseasparks: “Seven resources that are providing virtual support to the Black community right now. However, you choose to grieve, process, and/or stand in solidarity, remember that you’re not alone and that your personhood and wellness still matter.”-@health_ish
• Dive in Well - Prioritizing the spread of self-care and affordable health solutions with a diversity and inclusion lens to wellness. Offers both offline and online experiences, resources, and tools to empower those who believe in soul-centered wellness.
• Sista Afya - Focus on making quality mental health resources simple, accessible, affordable, and centered around Black women’s experiences through a lens of community support.
• Therapy for Black Girls A database to find trusted, culturally competent therapists that know the feelings and experience of navigating the world as a black woman.
• Healhaus - Combines diverse healing modalities and practitioners to provide people with an inclusive space focused on holistic health and wellness. Committed to building a community that is dedicated to changing the stigma attached to healing.
• Inclusive Therapists - A database to find a therapist that celebrates and shares your identity. Offers reduced fee teletherapy. Believes that all people deserve equal access to quality mental healthcare.
• Ethel’s Club - Offers free mental health counseling resources in an online community designed for people of color to thrive. Hosts free, hour-long grieving sessions twice monthly. Led by licensed Black therapists to help hold space and process the weight of the many complex emotions that we are feeling and carrying right now.
• The Nap Ministry - A blog that explores the science of sleep and black liberation theology. Explores the ideas around “Rest as Resistance” and the liberating power of naps.
• Trauma Response and Crisis Care for Movements - An organization mobilizing community across three dimensions for this COVID-19 moment: 1-1 virtual care, interactive webinars (for the general community & healing provider-specific content), and practice groups offering community gathering space focused around meditation, stress-reduction practices, and rituals as well as specific practices such as EMDR (a common treatment for PTSD symptoms). Additionally, they have a growing #distressinplace Resource Manual for support and information around healing and care services.

Content adapted from Micalah Webster's Resources for Black Healing.

• Article: Tips for Self-Care: When Police Brutality Has You Questioning Humanity and Social Media Is Enough
• Article: Digital Self-care for Black individuals coping with trauma
• Article (PDF): The Road to Resilience – American Psychological Association
• Video: Emotionally Restorative Self Care for People of Color – Black People – African Americans
• Tip: Self-Care Tips for Black People Feeling Overwhelmed by the Media - @reignxshine

1. Set firm boundaries: You are under no obligation to explain your feelings or educate people on what we are dealing with.
2. Indulge in black creativity: We are THE creators, after all...Switching your focus for a while does not mean you don’t care. Seeking out black art and celebrating black joy can provide some respite from traumatizing media coverage.
3. Be tactful about your daily scrolls: Not every post, tweet, article or message requires your attention and response. A constant intake of appalling footage and information can be overwhelming, to say the least.
4. Feel: Remember that your feelings are valid and take time to acknowledge them. Anger, sadness, fear...? All justified.
5. Connect with other black people: It is important to seek support and comfort from others that you can trust.

Content adapted from Micalah Webster's Resources for Black Healing.

• Article: Racism’s Psychological Toll
• Audio (4-min): Coping While Black: A Season of Traumatic News Takes a Psychological Toll
• Article: PBS: When black death goes virtual, it can trigger PTSD-like trauma. This article examines the negative mental health effects of exposure to violent and racist images and messages.

Racism can take a physiological and/or psychological toll on individuals. Racism is a specific stressor that can affect the well-being of students of color, particularly Black students. A range of emotions can be felt in response to experiencing racism and discrimination. For instance, research has shown that Black individuals indicate feeling disrespected, angry, insulted, disappointed, outraged, frustrated, hurt, and shocked following a racist encounter (Carter & Forsyth, 2010). Racial Battle Fatigue (RBF; Smith et al., 2007) describes the physical and psychological stress-related symptoms Black people experience while coping with existing in hostile environments.

There are a variety of psychological consequences associated with racism, such as:

• Anxiety. Anxiety is a common reaction to experiencing racism. You may notice yourself feeling tense, constantly alert, having difficulty concentrating on other things or feeling worried about yourself or loved ones.
• Depression. Experiencing racism or seeing those of your racial group experiencing it can be discouraging and disempowering. This could result in feeling depressed, sad, helpless, or hopeless about the future. You might also notice a change in your appetite, such as eating more or less than is typical for you.
• Anger and irritability. Anger is a valid response to social injustice; it may be felt towards individuals, those in power, or society in general. You might also notice yourself feeling more irritable with others or everyday situations.
• Sleep difficulties. With much on your mind and managing various reactions, you may experience difficulty sleeping. You could have trouble falling asleep, wake up frequently during the night, or have upsetting dreams.
• Withdrawing from friends and family. Racism can tax your psychological resources. If your energy is depleted, interacting with others can be exhausting. As a result, you may notice yourself withdrawing from friends and family.
• Lack of motivation. It can be hard to engage in academics or extracurricular activities when you are experiencing discrimination or witnessing it occur to fellow classmates, friends, or family. This might result in a lack of motivation, making it difficult to invest in important parts of the college experience as you might typically do.
• Numbness. You may be unsure of what you are feeling, have trouble finding the words to describe your feelings, or not feel anything at all. It is not uncommon to feel that you are in a state of numbness.

Some of the physiological symptoms experienced due to race-related stress include:

• Tension headaches
• Elevated heart rates
• Fatigue
• Backache
• Elevated blood pressure

All of these reactions are understandable responses to racial injustice. You are not alone if you are experiencing them and do not have to manage them alone.

Recognize when you need help (Warning Signs)

• Increased irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Lack of motivation to attend class/classes
• Negative self-view
• Low self-esteem
• Lack of interest in things you typically enjoy
• Significant drop in grades and/or academic performance
• Increased/Decreased sleep
• Suicidal thoughts and/or thoughts of self-injury

Content adapted from Micalah Webster's Resources for Black Healing.

• Article: Anti-Racism Resources For White People (if you want to share something with those in your life)
• Article: Black Trauma and Showing Up At Work
• Article: Advice for White Folks in the Wake of the Police Murder of a Black Person
• Article: 12 Ways to Be a White Ally to Black People
• Article: How to respond to “Riots Never Solve Anything”--an Opinion Piece