School Psychologists in Minnesota and our Executive Board at MSPA stand together with our BIPOC communities in outrage and heartbreak at the killing of George Floyd and the ensuing violence and destruction in our communities. We know that our children and families are suffering and we wish to offer support and healing.

In addition, we recognize the need to address racial trauma or race-based trauma affecting many members of our community.  If you are facing this or supporting others who are coping with this, you may benefit from resources available. For example, Hardy (2013) recommends several discrete steps for helping youth to cope with racial trauma including:

• Affirmation and Acknowledgement: Acknowledge that race is a critical organizing principle in society. Allow conversations about race to emerge.

• Racial Storytelling: Share and invite stories with people you trust. 

• Rechanneling Rage: The rage is valid, and rechanneling it can include activism, self-care, and focusing on your own strengths. 

In addition, resources for supporting children through racial trauma are available on the National Child Traumatic Stress Network as you engage in support and services to our communities now and in the coming months. Key features include:

• Teachers/adults learning about the effects of history and systemic racism,

• Honor those impacts: make space for story sharing, offer empathy and understanding (while acknowledging that you may not fully understand). 

• Empower students at leaders

We implore those in positions of privilege to take steps to change the status quo (and we hope you will help us do the same within our program and field). If you are looking for ways to take action, potential resources include: 

• 75 Things White People can do for Racial Justice

• Anti-Racism Resources

• ACLU take action

Resources: 

• https://psychologybenefits.org/2016/07/14/racial-trauma-police-shootings-on-african-americans/

• https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//addressing_race_and_trauma_in_the_classroom_educators.pdf

• https://neaedjustice.org/black-lives-matter-school-resources/

• https://blacklivesmatteratschool.com/teaching-materials/

• https://www.apa.org/pubs/magination/441B228