How to restore your RESOLVE this Black History Month!

Happy Black History Month! 

When Carter G, Woodson, leader of the movement for “Negro History Week – established in 1926, he had hopes to explain how much Black people had affected science, culture, society, the arts, and other facets of U.S. history. 

This month, as we celebrate the 2022 Black History Month theme, “Black Health and Wellness”, we consider how important frontline workers, medical professionals, and innovations like the COVID-19 vaccine have affected all communities, especially the Black community. We have communal mistrust of the medical establishment – and rightfully so, as Medical Apartheid by Harriet Washington shows us – even as many of us are frontline workers, healthcare workers, and medical professionals. 

It's often overlooked, the way that people have had to adjust their lives for the global pandemic – socially, economically, mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Almost everything can or is being done online nowadays, for better or worse.

I mean, how many of us – regardless of racial identity - silently suffer health-wise inside environments and often don't fully attribute the work as the source, despite it taking mental space in our minds every day and being one of the major indicators of stress? 

Furthermore, almost every minority I've spoken to – whether ethnic, racial, gender, or some other type of minority - has shared stories of how both their physical and mental health has been impacted working in corporate America. And that was even BEFORE COVID showed up!

Nonprofits are not necessarily easier to deal with either. There is a reason the turnover rate at nonprofits can be high, and there is an “industrial complex” attached to the industry.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility – the latter being a newer concept being addressed during the pandemic - isn't just the right thing to do nor a business imperative. It’s not just an en vogue word of the day.

It's crucial to developing a stable, healthy, and vibrant society. It’s a global health issue and must be treated as such.

Depression and anxiety are the leading causes of disability across the world, and DEIA can help with that. 

• By providing mental and physical healthcare and related incentives, work-life balance, mentorship opportunities, and ample vacation days and sick leave, we can make the playing field more just for all.

• By making education, resources, and housing accessible to BIPOC and other social minorities, we can make the playing field more just for all.

• By combating social, political, and medical misinformation, we can address the pandemic holistically and in a way that is more just for all.

Let’s get it together, for us, for the world, for the betterment of tomorrow.

Let’s RESOLVE to move forward, and:

Rest.

Rest. Relax, and rejuvenate in the name of the ancestors, both the recent and long-time gone.

Eat.

Eat in the name of fueling your body to handle the days ahead.

Sleep.

Sleep, which is different from rest, is the act of your body shutting down for 8-10 hours each night to recuperate.

Occupy your time.
“They” like to tell us that we have to work, eat, sleep, and repeat. But let’s call foul on the hustle mentality and intentionally decide to slow down! Occupy your time with other worthy activities that include breaks, hobbies, and other activities you can enjoy alone or with others. 

Leave the house (if able).

Go for a walk, go for some air, breathe mindfully in the outdoors. 

Vacation (even if it's just at home).

If you have vacation days or personal days, use them. They’re yours to enjoy. Pamper yourself with a manicure by a loved one or at a spa by a professional. Do what you can afford but do it for you.

Elevate your voice.

Speak up for yourself. If you deserve a raise, speak on it. If you need to use vacation and get some pushback, assert your needs. If you need to establish boundaries with work, establish them. If you need to see a therapist or psychiatrist, do it! Do it for you, and love yourself for taking the step to manage your life and mental health.

You aren’t alone. You’ve got this. We’ve got this.