Thriving vs Surviving in Black America
Leonetha Ward, MBA
Settlement Operations at Achieve, ERG Steering Committee Member, Social Media Manager.
If Math serves me correctly, I am 5 generations removed from slavery. I can assume many in my generation are about the same. Black Americans have quickly adapted to Industrial changes, economic shifts, and means of survival. However, I am convinced that getting it from the mud has impacted our psyche.
Our ancestors endured and survived unspeakable traumatic situations. These mental stressors have been passed down unbeknownst to us. We live in today’s society with our ancestor’s survival mentality (Quiros). A survivor thinks from a place of ‘lack.’ Survivors have to find ways to live in challenging situations. I beg you to listen carefully: We no longer face those same stressors!
Hear me out.
Now, we have infinite access to information. We possess the power to shift from surviving to thriving. Our parents taught us how to survive in this country. Let’s teach future generations how to live abundantly and build generational wealth!
Being it’s Mental Health Awareness month, reflecting on our mindset is a great place to begin. I have said this in many of my previous blogs. We have to go back to the beginning to know the journey. So, let’s go!
I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into the shift in mindset I’ve been practicing for the past few months. The next entry in this blog series will discuss other resources and tools used to increase our level of knowledge and how to apply it to our daily lives.
Reading was a Crime, punishable by law. I believe these unjust laws have caused severe PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in our community. I am not a mental health professional of any sort. I am a survivor of several types of abuse. I know what abuse can do to a person mentally. I’m excited to share how I believe this fits in with our high illiteracy rate and the lack of desire to read.
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Resources:
New to meditating - Click here to learn more
Learn more about affirmations - Let's Practice Affirmations
Want to learn more about mental health - Mental Health Help
Works Cited
YouTube: Home, 3 June 2009, https://tnj.com/how-some-black-female-professionals-achieve-the-elusive-work-life-balance/. Accessed 14 March 2024.
Hanson, Karla. “491 Positive Affirmations For Black Women To Be Empowered.” Unfinished Success, 9 February 2022, https://unfinishedsuccess.com/positive-affirmations-for-black-women/. Accessed 14 March 2024.
Quiros, Laura. “How is trauma connected to diversity, equity, and inclusion work? — Dr. Laura Quiros Consulting.” Dr. Laura Quiros Consulting, 1 October 2020, https://www.lauraqc.com/blog/3x67e6gncufahudizwn6hw8j59eibv. Accessed 14 March 2024.
Rodgers, William M. “White-Black Wage Gap History in the U.S.” Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, 17 January 2024, https://www.stlouisfed.org/open-vault/2024/jan/us-white-black-wage-gap-history-from-1969. Accessed 14 March 2024.
Absolutely! Exploring within teaches us the value of self-accountability, a cornerstone for using those #opportunities wisely. As Warren Buffet highlighted, the investment in oneself pays the best dividends. Let’s shape a future our ancestors would be proud of! ????
Senior Director Compliance | Regulatory Examiner | Change Management | Risk Management | Consultant | Leader | Advancing Effectiveness & Compliance Culture
7 个月Thanks for sharing this. I think great to take a look at the past and use it to inform what we focus on in the future, both individually and as a society. Hopefully others find benefit in reading this as well!