Many Black people in the U.S. are born into a life of trauma, and this trauma is born from a history of repression, violence, injustice, and inhumanity. This trauma is not something any of us who have not been Black in America can ever fully understand; it is a very personal, lived experience.

The goal for this panel discussion is to begin to expose and discuss the adverse psychological and physical impact of racism, considering it “a fundamental cause of adverse health outcomes for racial/ethnic minorities and racial/ethnic inequalities in health” (Williams, Lawrence, & Davis 2019).

Racial trauma can involve a “negative, sudden and uncontrollable experience or crisis”; alternatively, it can involve an “ongoing physical or psychological threat that produces feelings of fear, anxiety, depression, helplessness and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)” (Ponds, 2013).¹

During the panel discussion, the discussants will share their experiences with racism and its trauma, address the systemic aspects of racism, and explore what transformational change needs to occur to break the cycle of racism and trauma.

1. Ponds, K. T. (2013). The Trauma of Racism: America’s Original Sin: Practical strategies and proven techniques. Retrieved July 06, 2020, from http://reclaimingjournal.com/issues/trauma-racism-americas-original-sin/

*Speakers are paid consultants of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc (OPDC). Carolyn Jones, PhD is an employee of OPDC.

Featured Speakers

Napoleon Higgins, MD

Psychiatrist, Former President

Bay Pointe Behavioral Health Services, Black Psychiatrists of America*

Kimone James, MD*

Featured Speaker

• Georgia Kidney Associates
• Nephrologist
• American Board of Nephrology Certification in Nephrology

Betsy Bennett, PhD*

Featured Speaker

• Clarity Consulting
• Psychologist
• Consultant on Cultural Competency

Carolyn Jones, PhD*

Moderator

• Senior Medical Science Liaison, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc.

Location

Online Via PsychU.org