Racial Injustice & Trauma

Racial Injustice & Trauma

The Counseling Center acknowledges the layered experiences of racism across diverse intersecting identities that have been at the foundation of our nations' history. Such experiences include that of Native communities and United States’ history of colonization and erasure of indigenous cultures; experiences of Black and African American communities within the context of the United States’ history of enslavement; experiences of Asian communities within the context of the internment of Japanese communities, the impact of the “model minority” myth, and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923; dynamics of immigration, colorism, and xenophobia that impact Latinx communities; and experiences of middle eastern communities in the context of islamophobia. This is in no way a comprehensive summary of the diverse and layered dynamics of racism in the United States, and we recognize that the aftermath and impact of these individual and intersecting collective traumas, continue to reverberate at every systemic level, including within the systems of Loyola. It is normal to experience a range of feelings and emotions, such as shock, fear, sadness, anger, helplessness or guilt when faced with oppressive and racist acts. As a mental health service, the Counseling Center is committed to affirming and providing care for all our students who have been directly or vicariously impacted by racial trauma. We encourage you to contact our office for support, coping, and healing.

Please consider the restorative resources below for BIPOC communities as well as information for those seeking to learn more about white accountability, promote anti-racism, and engage in allyship.

Resources for Black/African American People, Indigenous/Native People, and People of Color

Online Anti-racism Resources

Books on Anti-racism & the Experience of Racism

On Anti-racism

Anti-Asian Harassment Is Surging. Can Ads and Hashtag Help?
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, PhD
Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, & Become a Good Ancestor by Layla Saad
‘Model Minority’ Myth Again Used As a Racial Wedge Between Asians and Blacks
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
The Racial Healing Handbook by Anneliese A. Singh

On the Experience of Racism

An Indigenous People’s History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
An African American & Latinx History of the United States by Paul Ortiz
Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine
Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper, PhD
My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts & Bodies by Resmaa Menakem
Our History is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipelines, and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance by Nick Estes
Stamped from the Beginning: A Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi, PhD
The Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color edited by Cherríe Moraga & Gloria Anzaldúa
The Color of Success: Asian Americans and the Origins of the Model Minority by Ellen D. Wu

To Learn More About Advocacy & Activism

Consider Togetherall, a 24/7 confidential peer to peer mental wellness resource, free to all enrolled Loyola students. Register here today. Due to state licensing laws, students must be residing in Maryland to be eligible for Let’s Talk, assessment, and therapy services. The Counseling Center located in Humanities 150 is open M-F from 8:30am until 5pm (EST) and closed when the university is closed. If you would like to make an appointment with a counselor schedule an appointment online, stop by our office, or give us a call at 410-617-2273.