Empowering Brown People’s Intergenerational Resilience

untitled artwork by @akshatha

untitled artwork by @akshatha

Understanding Intergenerational Resilience
Intergenerational trauma occurs when a population has collectively gone through trauma tracing back multiple generations. For brown communities, the institution of slavery has created trauma and pervades modern society through institutional racism. Awareness of this is essential to empower marginalized and brown communities. This way, we can create a future free from oppression and understand how this trauma affects an individual. Intergenerational trauma can lead to maladaptive coping strategies due to altered nervous system response. Individuals can find support in healing communities and explore approaches to find safety and control in their bodies.

Resilience to Prejudice

Some individuals grow up exposed to narratives that instill fear and paint their world as perpetually hostile. The stories they hear, reinforced by parent's warnings  (e.g., The Talk) and firsthand experiences, contribute to the belief that their environment is and will remain inhospitable. These are some tips that service providers can use to assist marginalized communities in building resilience to prejudice.

1. The provider seeks to build trust in healing spaces through cultural awareness, humility, and relevant therapeutic approaches, acknowledging the socio-political-historical components of individuals' experiences.
   
2.  View Psychological problems as a call for help rather than a moral flaw to facilitate healing. Take the time to acknowledge your bias and actively provide solutions to aid in the healing of those affected.
   
3. Reframe to view weaknesses as an opportunity for empowerment. Anxiety and depression become an opportunity for fostering resilience, self-awareness, and positive coping mechanisms.
   

Addressing trauma allows for higher overall life satisfaction and the emergence of healthier, happier children who grow to be more self-reliant. The effects of healed oppression extend to healthier lifestyles, well-maintained communities, accumulated family wealth, and content citizens. Brown and historically marginalized communities have demonstrated remarkable resilience despite oppression and adversity.

​Places to start looking for help

• Black Mental Health Alliance
  
• Office of Minority Health (OMH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
  
• Organizations listed under Black Mental Health Resources here
  

References

1. Agos, J. (2020, July 15). Racial Trauma in The Black Community Could Have Generational Effects. WITF.
   
2. Ambellu, G. (2021, May 3). Intergenerational Trauma’s Impact on Black People’s Perception of The American Healthcare System. Healers And Patients In North Carolina. 
   
3. Anon. (2020, February 3). Stopping Generational Trauma in Communities of Color. Daily Sundial.