In this episode, I talk about the impact of systemic racism on the physical, mental, emotional, and psychological well-being of African Americans. Victims of overt and covert racism, whether brief or prolonged, often experience a diminution in their mental health, including hypertension, obesity, and a diminished sense of self-worth. These symptoms and conditions can also affect those who go through what's called vicarious traumatization, a phenomenon that occurs when one witnesses the suffering and pain of another. Witnessing the execution of George Floyd or Jacob Blake is a good example. Also, I talk about the challenges of those who have decided to fight, peacefully, for justice and equality. One of the challenges such individuals face is the stress caused by physical threats and confrontations from intolerant racists and by criticism from politicians, who refer to protesters as radicals, extremists, and un-American.
