As a driver, you learn that even a small veer in one direction, if continued over time, takes you further and further off course. This simple truth applies not just to driving but to life, society, and even our political and social landscapes.
Over 30 years ago, Dr. Arline Geronimus introduced the concept of “weathering”—the idea that the constant stress of living within a racist society has profound health effects on marginalized groups. What was once considered unconventional is now widely recognized.
(Read more: New York Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/12/well/live/weathering-health-racism-discrimination.html ).
In my poem, “A Million Little Cuts,” I explore how microaggressions and racism accumulate over time, shaping the lives of those affected.
"Chipping away and eroding your identity and self esteem (like the sea splashing and eroding rocks)"
Much like a driver stays alert to road conditions, we must stay vigilant to the conditions that shape our beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. This includes:
🔹 Recognizing how racism affects mental health and societal well-being
🔹 Understanding how people are groomed or radicalized into racist ideologies
🔹 Identifying the environmental pressures that allow racism to thrive
In my new book, ‘If Racism Was a Virus,’ I explore different racism “strains” and “variants,” examining how they mutate under different social and political pressures. Just as viruses evolve in response to their environment, so too does racism.
Check out the book:
The Weathering Effect
We often hear the phrase “weathering the storm.” For those who have survived racism and discrimination, this storm shapes them (us)—sometimes into stronger, more resilient individuals. But for others, the storm leaves behind deep bitterness and trauma.
Unfortunately, this weathering effect is not limited to those who experience oppression. It also applies to those who are being groomed to hate. Some leaders tell them they have “weathered a storm” and that migrants, Black communities, and marginalized groups are to blame for their struggles.
These individuals, too, are shaped by the storm—but in a different way. Instead of resilience, they develop intolerance, hate and exclusion.
This is how a slight turn to the right—when repeated—takes a society further into division, fear, and hate.
We must remain alert and aware. We must challenge these shifts. We must stand up for human rights.
🚨 Every human being matters. Every human life should count. 🚨
Thanks to Marcia Ore for her post which inspired me.
#IfRacismWasAVirus #SocialChange #WeatheringTheStorm #SixStagesFramework #HumanRights #DEI #AntiRacism #InclusionMatters #EqualityForAll #DiversityAndEquity #PoliticalAwareness #StandUpForJustice
Comments