How to be Black and mentally ill when news of Black death is everywhere.

I am black and I have complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (c.PTSD). My blackness intersects with my history of trauma and current mental illnesses in very specific ways. One of the ways in which they intersect is through the constant news of another black person being murdered or “turning up dead” or being brutalized or traumatized every day. Some people say that it’s once every eight hours, others say it’s once every 28 hours, but with extreme frequency a black person is murdered by someone in service of or protected by the United States of America.

Whether Black folks are diagnosed as mentally ill or not, this constant news of death and destruction is affecting us. For example, the suicide rate for black youth has nearly doubled while that of other children has gone down. We are experiencing genocide both mentally and physically so I want to offer some tips that are helping me to process my pain while still doing what I need to do to survive in America.

1. Recognize that what we are experiencing is genocide. Naming it and dealing with the reality of our experiences is so important. Don’t gaslight yourself or allow others to gaslight you. The issue is not a bunch of people making mistakes, the issue is systemic.
2. Learn about the people who came before you. The genocide we are experiencing is not new. We have been here dealing with the same kinds of trauma at the hands of white folks since before we even came to America. Situating our experiences in the context of those who came before us is helpful because for me at least it’s inspiring. When I think about Harriet Tubman or Toussaint L’Ouverture or Amilcar Cabral I am reminded that I come from very strong people. Someone once told me we do a disservice to those who come before us when we feel hopeless (about our ability to free ourselves from enslavement and white supremacy) today and it’s true. If Toussaint could free a country from the slavery and French rule then we can free ourselves from white supremacy.
3. It’s especially important to teach the children about the people who came before them as well. Find kid friendly stories about our history and let the children know where they came from early.
4. Find or create community. The kyriarchy, or the intersecting systems of oppression that is at the root of systemic black death, thrives when we are isolated. Find like minded people irl or online and build community with them. Eat dinner with them. Go to a park. Black love, romantic or otherwise is so healing and important. And talking about your feelings and processing in a group us very healing. Especially if you can not access quality mental health services.
5. Make sure you eat frequently and drink water. Stretch. Wash your face. Be gentle with yourself, the world around us is already so rough. We don’t need to add to it. If possible go outside in nature, or in your community. Remind yourself that black people have survived so much before this and that we as a whole will survive this too.
6. Work in your communities to fight back, in every way you can. What skills or resources do you have to offer to the people who are our modern day Harriet’s and Amilcar’s and Toussaint’s? Find these organizations that are genuinely about black liberation and help in whatever way you can. Maybe you aren’t able to do direct action or face arrest but if you can cook for a meeting or provide books and diapers to help the young parents and child care providers then you are already helping so much.
7. Grieve. You should cry or be angry if you feel like crying or being angry. Black folks as a whole We are taught from birth to police our emotions to the point where a lot of us can’t even feel them anymore. Connect with the part of you that is hurting and let it hurt. Emotions are human and we are not robots. We are more than dancing and singing and athletic machines that can take all matter of abuse and keep churning out culture for the mainstream to commodify. We are allowed to grieve.
8. Partake in black culture. Listen to black music. Read black books and view black art. We deserve to be happy too.

The struggle is real but we are survivors. Please take your time and do what you need to do to make sure you and your family is okay. These are some simple things that work for me, and I hope they can also help you if you are reading this. Let me know in the comments of anything that helps you in times like these. What music or art or book or historical figure gives you hope? 

Cover Art by Dane Tilgman

Black Youth and Suicide

Reposted with permission from Catherine Imani Cosby.

Mike Vick Loses His Invite To The BBQ Over Kaepernick's Afro

Mike Vick, for better or worse, is a vindicated man. His rise and fall was so meteoric that many of my people (black people) were thrown off. All of it over dog fighting. Rather than wallow in his guilt, Vick decided to serve his time, get back into the league, and perform. And that is what he did until he retired recently. With his debts repaid to society (and his debt collectors), Vick is the poster child of NFL redemption.

But now, it seems that he is losing some of his common sense. Either that or he lost it on his climb back into society’s good graces.

The sad part is that the interviews were, minus the malarkey, pretty good. He spoke on Ezekiel Elliot and making sure that athletes focus on the game. He was dropping some gems about representation and being a team player. Hell, the conversation delved into the issues of excess. With that said, Mike Vick spread a lot of his wisdom through his words.

And as quick as Vick sparked that comeback against the Giants on Week 15 back in 2010, he found a way to throw all that excellent commentary out of the window.

When the topic was brought up about Colin Kaepernick, Mike Vick did the worst thing he could do: he caped for the NFL ownership. He suggested that “it has nothing to do with being blackballed” and “Colin didn’t have the best two years the last two seasons.” In a separate interview on “Speak For Yourself,” Vick noted that Colin Kaepernick needs to cut his hair:

First thing we’ve got to get Colin to do is cut his hair. Listen, I’m not up here to try to be politically correct. Even if he puts cornrows in there. I don’t think he should represent himself in that way in terms of just the hairstyle. Just go clean-cut. You know, why not? You’re already dealing with a lot of controversy surrounding this issue. The most important thing that he needs to do is just try to be presentable. [1]

I don’t know about anyone else, but Mike Vick gave some unsurprisingly bad advice.

MIKE VICK COOK'S OUT INVITE RESCINDED

None of this can surprise me because Mike Vick is an ex-con that is basically redeemed within the conscious of the NFL. When a person is coming from imprisonment and wants to get back into society, he/she will “clean up their image.” He/she will go for an easily manageable, unnoticeable hairstyle. He/She will talk in a way that shows remorse and humility. That person will, without a shadow of a doubt, do whatever it takes to look “safe” to others.

The problem with the “safe” approach is that Colin Kaepernick isn’t an ex-con; he is a man that took a stance that people didn’t like. His image isn’t based on any illegal action he had taken. Kaepernick, by far and wide, has been a model citizen. In fact, his efforts towards social activism should be modeled and applauded. It is sad that a man that is doing everything for the people is being viewed as a felon.

Also, the idea that Kaepernick had some off years in his last two seasons is off. His completion percentage stayed at 59%, while his best year was 62%. He had a rating of 90.7 in 2016 but his highest year was at 98.3 and his second-best year at 91.6. He passed for 16 touchdowns and ran for 4 in 2016 while his highest (21 pass, 4 run) was in 2013. In short, Kapernick’s production wasn’t off; the 49ers sucked.

MIKE VICK CAN EAT AT GOLDEN CORRAL

It is sad when you see one of Black America’s favorite athletes cape for NFL owners. Then again, this is what you do when you are an ex-con trying to be on the good side of ownership. Mike Vick has every right to his opinion. However, just because it is an opinion doesn’t mean that Vick’s sentiments aren’t dead wrong. To be frank, none of what he said made any realistic sense. Just goes to show how the mind works when you want to be redeemed by the powers that be.

I have his gift card to Golden Corral ready for him. He can eat at the buffet.

Reposted with permission from Ripped Em Up.