Embracing Black Joy: A Reflection on Resilience and Healing
Being Black is probably one of my favorite assignments I have been given in life. I love so many things about this experience: my complexion, hair, historical attachments to Kings and Queens, and my instant report to Black folks, the list goes on and on... It’s incredible. I wouldn’t change it for anything…even though it is a complex assignment.
Being Black in America can be experienced as a form of trauma. Trauma is defined as an emotional response to a distressing event or experience. For Black folks individuals in America, trauma can come in many forms. The fear of being pulled over by the police or being racially profiled can be a constant source of stress and anxiety. Microaggressions in the workplace can contribute to a hostile work environment. Incidents of brutality against unarmed Black people can be a traumatic experience for the entire community. These experiences can have a long-lasting impact on one’s mental and emotional well-being, leading to feelings of inferiority, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In 1961, author James Baldwin was asked by a radio host about being Black in America. He said:
“To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a state of rage almost, almost all of the time — and in one's work. And part of the rage is this: It isn't only what is happening to you. But it's what's happening all around you and all of the time in the face of the most extraordinary and criminal indifference, indifference of most white people in this country, and their ignorance. Now, since this is so, it's a great temptation to simplify the issues under the illusion that if you simplify them enough, people will recognize them. I think this illusion is very dangerous because, in fact, it isn't the way it works. A complex thing can't be made simple. You simply have to try to deal with it in all its complexity and hope to get that complexity across.”
What Baldwin said over 50 years ago is still true today. The constant exposure to racism and discrimination can take a toll on one’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
Despite the challenges, the Black community has shown incredible resilience and strength in adversity. By committing to well-being and happiness, Black folks are resisting the systems that seek to oppress us. This can include practicing self-care, engaging in therapy or coaching, finding joy in the small things in life, creating loving relationships, and conscious parenting. Additionally, it can mean finding community and support systems that uplift and empower.
In a society that often tries to invalidate the experiences of Black individuals, finding happiness and joy is a resistance. It's a way to show that despite the challenges, we are still capable of experiencing happiness and leading fulfilling lives. Commitment to well-being and happiness is a form of revolution. It’s a way to challenge the systemic oppression and racism in society. In this form, healing is an act of resistance. During this Black History Month, I encourage you to be unapologetically Black and joyful. Be unapologetically healing. Be unapologetically well.
In solidarity,
Dr. Adrianne R. Pinkney
