BIPOC Mental Health Month: Rethinking Resilience and Embracing Vulnerability at Work and Beyond
July 2024 - Pamela Meredith Hamilton
In the face of adversity, the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities have demonstrated remarkable resilience, drawing strength from cultural heritage and collective wisdom. The Poet Maya Angelou's immortal words, "But still, like air, I'll rise," echo the enduring spirit of these communities. However, beneath the surface of resilience, which BIPOC individuals have been forced to cultivate, lies a complex journey of a relationship with health and well-being. During BIPOC Health Month, I find it essential to explore a framework for nurturing healthy resilience so we can honor the wisdom of Maya Angelou—and rise, but this time, together.
Unpacking Resilience
We often overlook the distinction between healthy and unhealthy manifestations of resilience. Let's unpack the difference:
Unhealthy Resilience
Unhealthy resilience is related to adaptive or reactive coping strategies, which can lead to closed-off behavior and self-isolation and is often misperceived as anger, disrespect, and aggression. Such an experience can lead those who have built an armor-like resilience to deny themselves vulnerability. It can also present as others denying perceivably "resilient" individuals the freedom to be vulnerable (e.g., expressing pain, discontentment, or worry). In such an environment, many "resilient" people, whether they identify with resilience or are labeled resilient, feel unsafe and can experience the overlooking of their concerns with deflection, gaslighting, microaggression, or even overt prejudicial behavior (racism, sexism, etc.). Examples of this could include being told to smile more because the stoic nature of a resilient person could make others uncomfortable or is quickly equated to unfriendliness, impassivity, or standoffishness.
The reality, however, is that some environments do not foster safety and security that allows for certain levels of vulnerability, especially for those who've experienced trauma or a difference in their socialization. Particularly among BIPOC individuals, there needs to be a clear path established by everyone in the workplace that there is space to be vulnerable that won't result in disregard, disrespect, humiliation, termination, or, in the worst cases, abuse. It is also important to note that the unhealthy manifestation of resilience may lead BIPOC individuals to neglect self-care and feel that they must work harder than others to be perceived as equally competent.
Healthy Resilience
Luckily, there is an alternative. Healthy resilience embraces vulnerability. Manifesting healthy resilience sees being vulnerable as a profound source of strength. It's about recognizing that it takes courage to acknowledge and express one's emotions authentically. Instead of adhering to a toxically stoic endurance, where one endures hardship without displaying feelings or voicing complaints, healthy resilience seeks avenues for genuine connection and support amidst adversity.
Still, being healthily resilient isn't simply a choice—especially in the workplace. Of course, people must choose to embrace vulnerability. However, we must create spaces of safety that welcome such a choice.
BIPOC individuals may feel compelled to maintain an armored front in some environments. Often, BIPOC individuals view vulnerability as a weakness that allows others to cause harm—intentionally or unintentionally. This can look like microaggression and racism, some as simple as feeling that others might perceive this employee as different or unfit for the team. In the face of psychologically unsafe environments, it can be challenging for people to choose healthy resilience.
Brené Brown's notion of craving freedom to embody the "softness" inherent in vulnerability is pivotal. Here, we can reframe the perception of anger often attributed to BIPOC individuals, acknowledging it as an expression of passion or assertiveness with the same courtesy that is extended to non-persons of color. We as a community can embrace healthy resilience by expanding understanding and fostering empathy and inclusivity to create environments where we value authenticity over conformity.
A Framework for Healthy Resilience
Helping support healthy resilience within BIPOC communities entails a holistic approach prioritizing mental, emotional, and physical well-being. It involves:\
Colleague-to-Colleague
Open Communication:
Encourage honest and open communication about feelings and experiences.
Create a culture where sharing vulnerabilities without fear of judgment is okay.
Active Listening:
Practice active listening by giving full attention when a colleague is speaking.
Show empathy by acknowledging their feelings and perspectives.
Avoid assumptions and ask non-invasive questions.
Support and Encourage:
Offer support when a colleague is going through a tough time.
Celebrate their successes and encourage them in their endeavors.
Diverse Teamwork:
Form diverse teams to work on projects, allowing for various perspectives.
Value each team member's unique contributions and insights.
Ask questions before making judgments on work or ideas, and give your colleagues the space to take risks and ask questions themselves.
Peer Recognition:
Recognize and appreciate colleagues' hard work and dedication privately, and if they are comfortable--publicly.
Inclusive Social Activities:
When organizing social events, be inclusive and consider ways to make all team members feel welcome. Ensure that activities cater to a variety of interests without wandering into stereotypes. Ask your colleagues what they enjoy and see if you can include it.
Manager-to-Employees
Open-Door Policy:
Implement an open-door policy to encourage employees to express their concerns, ideas, and feedback freely.
Ensure that you are approachable and willing to listen.
Be aware of your own biases and work to overcome them.
Constructive Feedback:
Provide constructive feedback that focuses on growth and improvement rather than harsh criticism or personal attack.
Acknowledge employees' strengths and guide them in developing their skills.
Professional Development:
Take training to help you understand and practice empathy in their interactions. Encourage your team to do the same.
Invest in professional development opportunities that cater to the diverse needs of employees.
Encourage continuous learning and skill-building.
Personal Check-Ins:
Regularly check in with employees about their well-being, not just work performance.
Show genuine interest in their personal and professional growth.
Flexible Work Environment:
Offer flexible working arrangements to accommodate employees' personal needs and challenges.
Understand and support work-life balance.
Conflict Resolution
Address conflicts promptly and fairly, ensuring all parties feel respected and understood.
See conflicts as opportunities for growth and learning.
8. Recognition Programs
Ensure that recognition is equitable and inclusive.
Institution-to-Employees
Culturally Competent Support
Provide access to mental health resources and support systems that recognize and address the unique experiences and challenges faced by BIPOC individuals.
Foster Community
Create safe havens where we celebrate vulnerability, empowering individuals to seek help without fear of stigma or discrimination.
Advocacy and Systemic Change
Challenge institutional racism.
Promote policies that advance equity and justice.
Amplify the voices of marginalized communities.
During BIPOC Health Month, let us rise as Angelou calls on us to do and embrace what Brown calls our desire for "softness." Let's remember to honor the resilience that has sustained us through adversity while advocating for a healthier manifestation of that resilience, prioritizing well-being, self-care, and vulnerability. As we go on and invoke the term "resilient," let's honor the journey and hardship it embodies, cultivating spaces for vulnerability. We can let go of our armor and find support in our shared humanity. Then, we can honestly honor our journey–where we've come from and where we're going. Let's empower ourselves to heal and create collective support for a more equitable, vulnerable, and healthily resilient University and greater society for all.
About the Author
Pamela Meredith Hamilton
Pamela specializes in marriage and family education, blending her passion for healthy relationships with practical and creative coaching methods. Her personal and professional experiences in community mental health inform her work, helping her address the impacts of mental illness, substance abuse, and trauma. Pamela is dedicated to encouraging, restoring, and empowering individuals. She is also a qualified mental health professional, author, storyteller, life and relationship coach, motivational speaker, small group facilitator, Emotional Emancipation Facilitator, mental health first aider, Mediator, and former host of The Hamilton Exchange Radio.