A Mother’s Tears: Contemplating Black Grief

Abstract

As we have traversed the last 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic juxtaposed against an increased awakening to the realities of racial inequities in society and health care, the grief of Black individuals and communities has largely been underrecognized. This reflective essay explores the grief experience of Blacks in the wake of continual losses and acknowledges the impact of racism in these losses. I speak from my experiences as a Black mother, survivor of sibling loss, and pediatric palliative care pediatrician to examine this complex issue and what the medical community can do to stand with Black patients and families in their grief experience.