Stacy D. Scott, PhD, MPA, Executive Director of The Global Infant Safe Sleep Center
It has been a busy few months, if I have to say so myself, and I am excited to say there are busy days ahead. Through partnerships and collaboration, the Global Infant Safe Sleep (GISS) Center continues to promote its mission. Please know we are what we are because of you and the great work you do in hospitals, health departments, health centers, clinics and in your communities around this country.
The struggle is real for many of us. The implicit bias and institutional racism we encounter in advocating for the families impact not only them but us as service providers. As public health advocates and practitioners, we take on an enormous burden in our efforts to improve the health of our communities and to understand the complexity of racism and its impact on social determinants of health. So, the question for today: How is racism affecting you?
No matter your race, racism continues to impact our very existence both directly or indirectly. For some of us, we experience this first-hand, the day-to-day little indignities such being treated with less courtesy than others, being treated with less respect than others, falling prey to stereotyping, hostility, excessive criticism, or being consistently overlooked when it comes to promotions and salary increases can take its toll on anyone. But as a person of color, these experiences put us at a greater risk for developing chronic diseases. It is paramount that in our efforts to save lives we must first concentrate on saving our own.
According to the University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign: Race-related stress refers to the psychological distress associated with experiences of racism. It is important to understand that you can experience race-related stress even if you were mistaken that a racist act occurred. Race-related stress reactions only require that a person believes that they were the victim of racism.
Fortunately, there ways to combat the negative effects of race-related stress and produce positive outcomes:
- Build a support network. You are not the only person dealing with race-related stress. Connecting with other people with similar experiences and feelings can help you successfully navigate racism.
- If spirituality plays an important role in your life, utilize your belief system as a way to cope with stress. This could involve connecting with others who share your spiritual beliefs, confiding in your spiritual leaders, or participate in your spiritual rituals (e.g., prayer, meditation).
Yes, it takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to save one. We are a part of the village and as being a part, we must be prepared mentally, physically and spiritually to tackle the institutional and insidious attitudes that attempt to impede our efforts.