Race Trauma Quotes

“The people in my life found spaces to rest while navigating a racist culture, and they worked themselves into a deadly grind cycle to survive. They straddled the lines between exhaustion and always thriving. They moved mountains with their faith alone and created pathways for invention that I am still uncovering. They resisted every moment by existing in a world that was not welcoming or caring.”
― Tricia Hersey, Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto

“Because racial microaggressions are so common and frequently distressing, many clients of color will want to talk about these experiences in therapy. As such, therapists must be prepared to have honest conversations about what might be an uncomfortable topic. When clinicians fall short in this area, they may make mistakes that leave clients feeling misunderstood, invalidated, or even traumatized. As such, good clinical training based on evidence is crucial.”
― Monnica Williams

“Racial trauma is a common but underrecognized syndrome affecting millions of people of color in the Western world. Racial trauma refers to the severe mental and emotional injury caused by a multitude of experiences of racism compounded over a person's lifetime.”
― Monnica Williams, A Clinician's Guide to Healing the Wounds of Racial Trauma: A 12-Session CBT-Based Protocol