Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies: Lived Experiences in the Fight Against Institutionalized Racism (Improver)

Abstract

Systemic inequities in the United States are rooted in the legacy of racism that evolved from chattel slavery, the impacts of which continue to affect profoundly the lives and well-being of Black people. These inequities are clearly not just an artifact of history; they continue, and their impact on Black communities is as pervasive as it is vast. Nowhere is this intersection of access and systemic barriers more evident than in mental health. The disproportionate impact of mental health issues on those from marginalized communities mirrors their relative levels of disadvantage in society and reflects a permeating history of oppression. This anthology—Antiblackness: White Privilege, Allyship, and Psychology—examines the myriad reasons that people existing in positions of disadvantage and who have been disenfranchised face significant barriers when attempting to access mental health care and people existing with privilege have increased access to and tend to receive better, more appropriate care. Antiblackness and corresponding experiences of whiteness are explored from the perspective of lived experiences that reflect the impacts of the socially constructed notion of race and its manifestations in our systems and institutions. If we are to adequately address racism in health care, we must begin a paradigm shift from asking questions about how blackness and Black identity influence behaviors and health outcomes to the more pertinent question of how experiences of antiblackness and systemic bias result in increased levels of distress, morbidity, and mortality.