In the past few months, tension has grown in America as the Black Lives Matter movement continues to call for justice to be served following police shootings. It is time that communities, law enforcement, national and local organizations, and policy makers work together to bring about change to address these injustices and systemic racism. In a recent interview, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called for policy change to improve policies and address implicit biases among law enforcement. Implicit biases are unconscious negative attitudes and beliefs about a group of people. For example, an implicit bias among law enforcement may be that Black people are bad or violent. As a field, psychology has been involved in decades of research to understand implicit biases and how it impacts behavior. It is my belief that this knowledge must be used to serve as a change agent. There are several things that can be done to address racism and implicit biases among law enforcement. As a Black psychologist, I urge the American Psychological Association to utilize its research knowledge and policy efforts to continue advocating law makers to create legislation that will improve training for police officers and promote social justice efforts at local levels to help empower communities to combat discriminatory practices. Click here to read my complete post on Huffington Post. The Association of Black Psychologist - Supports Black Life Activism
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Although we have made some progress with race relations in America, we continue to revisit painful experiences. For many parents you are faced with teaching your child at a very young age the reality of being treated different based on the color of their skin. With the recent shootings in Baton Rouge, Falcon Heights, and Dallas, many children have witnessed these events through media or participated in rallies with their families. In light of these incidents, I wanted to share some coping strategies I previously wrote several years ago following similar events. The following tips may be helpful to create resiliency in youth.
Copyright 2016 Erlanger A. Turner, Ph.D. A version of this blog was previously written and posted by Dr. Turner on Psychology Today Many of you have seen the news the past few days and you are aware of more Black men being killed by police across the U.S. As a Black man and psychologist, this continued disregard for human life is very disheartening and traumatic. The recent incident in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is even more disturbing because it is my hometown and that could have easily been my life taken. Below is a poem I wrote to help myself with self-care and to hopefully give people food for thought. We need real action and systemic change.
Title: Human Race I can’t think I can’t walk I can’t talk I can’t breath I can’t move I’m mobilized by the shit I see in the news They say there is only the human race Yet my black brothers and sister keep getting shot Bodies being displayed in the streets Bodies being disgraced by cops The list of names keep growing by the day Trayvon Martin Sandra Bland Mike Brown Alton Sterling So many names to proclaim but the point is we seem to forget that were all one human race I woke up this morning with a pain in my heart Reflecting on all the lives that are lost All lives matter Maybe I’m a skeptic Cuz I'm in disbelief that the system we have is meant to protect the many people who are devalued the second a police is in their presence I can’t think I can’t walk I can’t talk I can’t breath I can’t move I’m immobilized by the racial trauma that historically is infused in a race that was taken from their homeland and enlaved in a system to be continually abused What is the fear that you have of Blacks in America? I thought this was a free country where all people are created equal Yet I sit and I watch over and over again How black lives don't matter yet there is uproar over an animal I’m traumatized by what I see on tv and on my twitter feed I’m tired of people misjudging me and I have not 1 but 3 degrees Yet that hasn't shielded me from “driving while Black” I’ve been pulled over by the cops Thanks God I wasn’t attacked We must fight as a nation to change the hypocrisy that is set up to advance a race Don't lose faith just remember the civil rights movement didn't happen in one day Copyright 2016 Erlanger Turner, Ph.D. |
AuthorDr. Turner is a licensed psychologist with expertise in behavioral pediatrics, child mental health, disruptive behavior disorders, and minority mental health. He is also certified as a National Register Health Service Psychologist. Archives
May 2017
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