Social Justice and Wellness
- Be aware of your mental and emotional health.Exposure to graphic images and hateful speech deeply impacts all of us, especially communities of color who live with these aggressions every day. Make time to reflect, breathe, journal, or other ways to check in with how you are really doing.
- Allow yourself to feel your feelings. It is normal to experience a range of emotions, most of which are very uncomfortable. Resist the urge to rush through or numb your feelings, without understanding what they may be saying to you. For minoritized communities, engaging these emotions should be paired with self-nurturing to remind yourself that you have worth and dignity. For allies of these communities, the challenge is often to stick with difficult feelings despite discomfort. Use these emotions to motivate yourself toward sustained solidarity, learning, and action.
- Practice self-care in the midst of whatever engagement, activism or caretaking you take on. Honor your needs, and prioritize your own well-being. This can be as basic as making sure you are drinking water, eating regular meals, and getting enough sleep. It may also mean cultivating ongoing practices of creative expression, mindfulness, or spiritual reflection - whatever keeps you grounded and accessing hope.
- Moderate your intake of news and social media. It can be damaging to constantly expose ourselves to violent images, or people whose views threaten our welfare. Think about how your media intake is affecting you. Determine what information you need to know because it is actionable, and be aware that taking in too much may deepen trauma and exhaustion. Make sure that your media diet includes positive individuals and organizations, and sources of reputable information. Check out this video on doing a Social Media Cleanse.
- Find your supportive community. Connect with people who understand how you are feeling because they are going through it, too. Seek support from elders or mentors who can remind you of the ongoing history of struggle and resistance in which you are taking part. For allies, process what you are discovering with other allies, to avoid further burdening people of color.
- Set boundaries. It can be exhausting to educate others about racism and how it impacts your community. Allow yourself to choose what conversations you take on, and where you draw limits. For allies, seek out ways to educate yourself that do not require this emotional labor from people of color. The Office of Diversity's Anti-Racism Resources is a great place to start.
- Take action. Think about how you can affect positive change, however small it might feel. This might mean participating in a protest, writing a letter, donating to a cause you believe in, educating yourself, or having an honest conversation in your circle of influence.
- Give yourself breaks. The work of engagement and activism is exhausting. Allow yourself to choose the times you step in, and to also give yourself permission to say no when you need to. The burden of challenging injustice does not rest on your shoulders alone. It is especially important for people of color to remember that their identities encompass more than trauma - connect with your joy, strengths, hope, and passions.
44 Mental Health Resources for Black People Trying to Survive in this Country - by Zahra Barnes
5 Self Care Tips for Activists — 'Cause Being Woke Shouldn't Mean Your Spirit's Broke
Anti-Racism Resources from Cal State East Bay’s Office of Diversity - Resources for education and actionPlease note that these resources are not associated with Cal State East Bay Student Health and Counseling Services. SHCS does not endorse any particular provider or agency. Descriptions are taken from the resources themselves.
Loveland Therapy Fund - Mental Health Funds for Black Folks seeking therapy
Sista Afya - Community Mental Wellness organization focusing on sustaining Black women. Includes extensive section on Mental Wellness Information and Resources, including ways to start a healing journey, build social support, find services and ways to pay for them, and apps and hotlines that could be helpful.
Liberate Village- Free meditation app targeted toward Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
Conversations on Black healing - the Black Emotional and Mental Health collective (BEAM) offers community events, peer support and grants to support Black community wellness.
Between Sessions Podcast - the organization Melanin and Mental Health offers a free podcast about mental health and communities of color. They also have a list of therapists specializing in work with minoritized communities.
Tapping Meditation - Dr. Damon Silas leads a trauma intervention focused on Black, Indigenous, and people of color in this short video
Mending Racialized Trauma: a Body Centered Approach with Resmaa Menakem (episode of Connectfulness podcast)
Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation
Therapy for Black Men - therapist directory and resources
Inclusive Therapists - list of therapists who celebrate minoritized identities. Includes options for free or reduced cost services.
Black Mental Health Alliance - Offers referrals to culturally-competent and patient-centered licensed therapists.Please note that these resources are not associated with Cal State East Bay Student Health and Counseling Services. SHCS does not endorse any particular provider or agency.
DACA Mental Health Coping Guide - compiled by Sofia Mendoza, LCSW using Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Trauma informed interventions.
Coping with DACA and Immigration Related Stress - specific coping strategies from German Cadenas, PhD.
Mental Health in the Post-DACA Era: Building Strength in Undocumented Latinx’s, DACA Recipients, and Those Who Love Them - a resource from the National Latino/a Psychological Association
Embracing Strengths and Vulnerabilities for Thriving and Resilience - from the Thrive Center for Human Development.
Please note that these resources are not associated with Cal State East Bay Student Health and Counseling Services. SHCS does not endorse any particular provider or agency.
Check the Undocumented Resources and Student Wellbeing Services pages on the Cal State East Bay website for a more extensive list.
My Undocumented Life - up-to-date information and resources for undocumented immigrants
Scholar Resources - legal, educational, media, and other resources from TheDream.Us
College Guide for DACA and Undocumented Students - guide to applying for and navigating college
Supporting Undocumented Students to Pursue a College Education - Information about higher education for undocumented students, and links to scholarships and resources
Please note that these resources are not associated with Cal State East Bay Student Health and Counseling Services. SHCS does not endorse any particular provider or agency.
Resources to address violence and hate toward Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in response to racism.
Anti-Racism Guide for AAPI Students and Allies
Resource guide for AAPI college students compiled by the editors of College Consensus. Includes History Reading Room, Advocacy Resources, and Mental Health resources.
Coronavirus/Covid-19 Resources to Stand Against Racism
Resource kit from Asian Americans Advancing Justice Coalition (AAJC), including multilingual resources about the coronavirus, resources to address and stand against hatred, bystander intervention guide, media guides, and political action steps.
Information and resources on hate crimes in the wake of Covid-19 from the National Asian Pacific Bar Association.
Social media resources to combat stigma and discrimination, from National Council of Asian Pacific Americans