The Wakanda effect: A protective factor to navigate racialized environments

ABSTRACT In 2018 the Afrofuturistic film, Black Panther, exposed a hunger for the portrayal of Black people in a positive light. Utilizing critical race theory, the authors conducted a mixed-methods study to explore viewers’ experiences with racial microaggressions, their means of coping with racial battle fatigue, and how the film impacted them. Viewers described the film as empowering, which elicited critical consciousness, and expressed an appreciation for the counter-narrative, introducing a “Wakanda effect.” Further, social validation and connection, centering, and counter-narratives were key strategies in resisting racial microaggressions. The authors provide a figure that describes the Wakanda effect and end with a discussion of resilience in addressing racial battle fatigue.