Black Lives Matter

In the black community, the past few weeks have been stress and anxiety-producing in regards to the safety of Black men. We got to worry about shopping while Black, driving while Black, and now even jogging while Black, on top of all the COVID-19 stressors. When I was watching that video, I could imagine myself or a family member or friend in that situation. This brings back memories for a lot of people about generations of Black men who were falsely accused and ended up getting lynched or sent to prison. In order for us to destroy racism or any other isms, such as sexism anti-semitism or phobia, such as homophobia or xenophobia, minority groups and majority groups need to work together. And it's okay for people in majority groups to be allies and angered and frustrated over what's going on with their friends. But the real work and solutions occur behind closed doors when your friends and minority groups are not there. Are you there to advocate on their behalf? That's when the real work happens. We're all in this together.

Author

Dr. Ifeanyi Olele Ifeanyi Olele, DO, MBA, MS, is a board-certified psychiatrist who sees adolescent and adult patients in the greater Washington DC metropolitan area at Genesis Psychiatric Solutions. Dr. Olele is a dedicated psychiatrist in the treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma-related stress disorders, and attention deficit disorders. Dr. Ifeanyi Olele is one of the few psychiatrists who utilizes psychotherapy (talk therapy) as part of his treatment plan.