The legacy of anti-Black racism: The public health crisis of racial trauma

The police killing of George Floyd in 2020 in the United States was an appalling act involving a group of officers who did not place much, if any, value on the life of a Black man. In the agonizing nine minutes before he died under the knee of Derek Chauvin, Floyd cried out for air and for his mother. Those moments, recorded by a passerby and shared widely and repeatedly over the days that followed, shocked the consciences of many Americans and others, triggering protests across the United States and in other countries, many of them led by the Black Lives Matter movement. Chauvin was convicted of murder, and three other officers were convicted of other serious crimes. Read more: How to deal with the pain of racism — and become a better advocate: Don’t Call Me Resilient EP 2 While there is now greater awareness and scrutiny of racism and violence in policing, there is also a long record of reverting to old ways. Indeed, deeply entrenched racial bias is rooted in the soul and psyche of North American society and globally. When we think about Black Lives Matter, we typically think of criminal justice, but the movement also...