Police shootings seem to be a normal occurrence these days. It's a scary reminder that despite how often we chant “Black lives matter,” for many in law enforcement and people without melanin, our lives are disposable.
With the frequency of such shootings, we've been bombarded with graphic videos and photos of victims all over our social media feeds and TV screens and even on the covers of major publications. These images are traumatic. They seep into our minds, our spirits and shake us to the core. They prove that even in death, black bodies are disrespected.
Because of these images and experiences of violence, we have to find ways to cope and to continue living our lives—but how? The Root Live tapped clinical community psychologist and trauma therapist Dr. Melba Nicholson Sullivan and gun-violence activist and Soros Justice fellow and writer Marlon Peterson to offer comfort, knowledge and insight into how black people can heal from the violent, recurring nightmare we find ourselves living through. The conversation is a necessary tool for us to keep on keeping on. Your mental health is important. Check out the video here!