16BB
AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO MIAMI HERALD
WELLNESS
By Nzingah Oniwoson
@YesBabyILikeItRaw About 11 years ago I lost a family member to gun violence. To be more specific a police officer killed that family member. It was the age before hash tags and social media giants like Facebook and Twitter. However, it was such a high profile case that media outlets picked it up, the NAACP got involved, the mayor was at the funeral, protests took place, charges were filed and dropped, an officer was fired and a civil case was won. In 2015 my cousin would have been a hash tag, and because of the
MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2016
Self Care Practice During Times of War trauma of his murder I feel and hurt in a different way when a new name is added to our list of hash tags. I know intimately what those families are going through; so more than being sympathetic I am empathetic to their loss. It is much harder to grieve when the media and community are scrutinizing your lost loved one and your family. The truth is whether we want to admit or not we are at war. All wars are not overt like the crisis in the Middle East; we have a war on violence, drugs, equal rights, health care and the list goes on. On a larger scale collectively as people of African decent, the tragedies we have been experiencing are one more chip off of our already bruised heart. Anxiety has become commonplace. We hope everyday that our loved ones come home safely. We hope when we hear about a crime that the criminal isn't black. We often question and check our behavior to make sure we are not the stereotypes perpetuated in media. We are one millimeter away from breakdown. With months like July, topped with everything else we are processing, it’s a miracle that we have some resemblance of sanity. Our mental health is in crisis. Most of us
are depressed but because of stigmas we will not acknowledge it. Depression in its simplest terms is a response to loss. No one can exist on this planet and not experience loss because with life comes death. Clinical depression is where it gets in the way of your everyday life. How do we maneuver through these highs and lows? Through intention, an intentional self-care practice to be exact. That is only way we can maintain our sanity. Social media definitely has its pros but the cons are sometimes evasive. We are being exposed to emotional and psychologically harmful content that only exacerbates the situation. The following is a list of some self-care practices that help you maneuver through the feelings of hopelessness, sadness and anger.
"Anxiety has become commonplace. We hope everyday that our loved ones come home safely. We hope when we hear about a crime that the criminal isn't black. ... We are one millimeter away from breakdown."
Self-Care Practices During Times of War • Disconnect from social media • Un-friend individuals with unhealthy posts • Find ways to process stress (cry, meditate, counseling, dance, write, exercise, scream in a room by yourself, yoga) • Do something (volunteer, mentor, join an organization) • Talk to a friend For more information follow Nzingah on instagram @yesbabyilikeitraw and visit her website www.yesbabyilikeitraw.com.
Congratulations! Y Florida Grand Opera salutes
Carlton Ford for being selected as one of Legacy Miami magazine’s 40 under 40 Most Influential Black Leaders for 2016. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the South Florida arts community. We are truly proud of you!
Florida Grand Opera’s mission is to shape the future of opera and to connect diverse audiences through its power and beauty.