Sankofa: A Testimony of the Restorative Power of Black Activism in the Self-Care Practices of Black Activists

Abstract

The current study investigates the relationship between Black activism and self-care among five Black womxn scholar-activists. Through collaborative autoethnography, we demonstrate that one byproduct of our Black activism is a cultural-relevant form of self-care that works to buffer the psychological impacts of racism and other forms of oppression. Findings suggest that our pathway to Black activism involves an “awakening,” which furthers identity development, and facilitates connectedness and self-love, underscores the salience of representation, and creates opportunity for broad social and structural change. This is to suggest that despite the potential deleterious psychophysiological consequences that accompany the engagement in activism, we have identified five unintended self-care benefits that play a central role in bolstering activists’ psychological well-being.

Interpersonal ethnic–racial discrimination and tobacco products: The moderating role of critical action.

“…CC-CA connects individuals to their community and history and celebrates their identity through collective action, social support, and healing (Guerrero et al, 2021; Hickson et al, 2022; Mosley et al, 2021). CC-CA provides a voice for folks who may have felt unseen and unheard; this level of agency and connectedness with others serves as a protective factor against psychological stressors such as IERD (Hickson et al, 2022; Rivas-Drake et al, 2022). In the present study, IERD was associated with greater use of tobacco products when they had low CC-CA.…”

Resisting and countering online racial hate: Antiracism advocacy and coping online with racism as moderators of distress associated with online racism.

“…For instance, supporting Black Lives Matter in principle (i.e., individual antiracism advocacy)—but not engaging or participating in Black Lives Matter activities—has been found to protect Black college students from the depressive symptomology associated with exposure to racism (Watson-Singleton et al, 2021). Overall, engagement in many forms of individual antiracism advocacy has been identified as a culturally relevant form of self- and community-care that allows Black individuals to persist, heal, and make a change in the context of systems of oppression in the United States (Hickson et al, 2022; Turner et al, 2022). A majority of research on antiracism advocacy among racially/ethnically minoritized individuals in the United States has been conducted with Black individuals.…”

Essential elements for working with racial trauma: A guide for health service psychologists.

“…Furthermore, the use of creative arts that is culturally centered and promotes activism, referred to as artivism, is thought to provide an opportunity for transformation and to challenge the sense of inferiority marginalized groups can experience in response to oppression (Shapiro, 2020). Antiracism activism has also been noted to provide and facilitate psychological well-being (Hickson et al, 2021); therefore, encouraging engagement in activism or acts of resistance could be an additional strategy for healing from racial trauma (Diemer et al, 2016). Finally, French et al (2020) have outlined a radical healing approach to promoting health and well-being in the face of ongoing racial oppression.…”

“…Antiracism activism has also been noted to provide and facilitate psychological well-being (Hickson et al, 2021); therefore, encouraging engagement in activism or acts of resistance could be an additional strategy for healing from racial trauma (Diemer et al, 2016). Finally, French et al (2020) have outlined a radical healing approach to promoting health and well-being in the face of ongoing racial oppression.…”