Unpacking the stress of 2020: Black Americans cope with systemic trauma

Abstract

The year 2020 was a challenging and traumatic year for Americans, especially Black Americans. Many Black people quickly succumbed to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This paper describes systemic trauma as a lens to conceptualize the effects of COVID-19, racial stress and trauma, and grief. A recount of the events during the year 2020 is reviewed. Racism towards Black people was at an all-time high. Complicated and collective grief was ever-present. As a by-product of COVID-19, economic and health disparities resurfaced to further complicate Black people's well-being. Systemic trauma is described as a comprehensive and inclusive framework that captures the intensity and depth of the trauma Black Americans experienced. We argue that culturally appropriate interventions are needed to help Black people continue to heal from the distress of 2020. Race-informed trauma treatment is a culturally appropriate intervention that facilitates healing, improves the quality of life, and fosters posttraumatic growth for Black Americans. We offer race-informed treatment as a theoretical orientation that can facilitate healing and posttraumatic growth for Black people.