Check In On Your People
The Kyle Rittenhouse verdict is a clear marker of our broken justice system–one that was built to protect some, but not all. It is yet another wave of trauma that continues to crash down, compounding pain, grief, and inequity that seem unending.
We acknowledge that this verdict affects each of us differently. The most important next step is to check in on your people. We implore employers to make space for their people to process this, to feel, and to share those feelings. Our well-being and our work cannot be completely separated. These are the times when we must step up to offer our support and guidance to the people we work alongside every day.
This verdict serves as a painful reminder of the work that still remains to be done. Inside and outside of our work, we will never stop fighting for fairness and equality. We cannot. We must continue to use our voices and bring these injustices to light and furthermore, fight for a justice system that protects everyone–not just the privileged few–and carries out justice accordingly. We absolutely must. And finally, we need to be there for each other, provide support where we can, and listen to what our people need. We need to.
Take care of yourselves, and one another.
-The Holistic Team
Resources:
Mental Health Resources: NAMI - The National Alliance on Mental Illness, Crisis Text line (text HOME to 741741), National Suicide Prevention LifeLine (800).950.TALK, Color of Change, Sista Afya, Therapy for Black Girls, The Loveland Foundation, BEAM - Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective, Sunshine Behavioral Health on Black Mental Health Issues, Black Mental Wellness, Black Mental Health Alliance, Black Men Heal, Asian Mental Health Collective, & The Trevor Project.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Tips for Survivors: coping with grief after community violence
Non-for-profits fighting for change: Rise Against Hate Non-for profit , Equal Justice Initiative
Resources for Dialogue + Learning:
Facilitating Difficult Discussions - Be Well at Work
Webinars: How we can make Racism a Solvable Problem, The Path to ending Systematic Racism: The difference between not racist and anti-racist
Instagram accounts to follow for continued education: @soyouwantotalkaboutit, @attnwhitepeople, @attnamericans, @antiracismdaily