The Emotional Side of Race

There are residual effects to the trauma we face. Experiences of racism and discrimination are often confusing and traumatizing.  This also holds true when one is confronted with the possibility that you may be perpetuating racist stereotypes and prejudice. Cycles of internalization and perpetuation can be toxically embedded in our habits of relating.  These cycles may result in shame, denial, depression, anger and blame. We will discuss how to recognize these cycles in ourselves.  Although through our racial development these emotions are often “normal,” we will explore the difference between guilt; which is negative and non-supportive versus responsibility; which is both empowering and actionable. Finally we will discuss ways of confronting discrimination that bypass emotional hijack and is more likely to provide the results that we seek. We can have a “what you did” conversation on race that does not constitute “ all of who you are.”