Racial battle fatigue is a term coined by professor William A.
Smith that refers to the cognitive, emotional and physiological effects of being a person of color in environments that are both implicitly and explicitly racist.
Basically, it is the ways that
racism has a negative effect on the psychology and physiology of people of color.
Physiological symptoms of
RBF: tension headaches, backaches, elevated heartbeat, rapid breathing in anticipation of conflict, upset stomach, extreme fatigue, loss of appetite, ulcers, elevated blood pressure. Psychological symptoms of
RBF: constant anxiety and worrying, inability to sleep, sleep
broken by haunting, conflict-specific dreams, intrusive thoughts and images, loss of self-confidence.
I can't go to that meeting with them
White folks today, I'
m struggling with Racial Battle Fatigue
We have to protect our students from Racial Battle Fatigue by connecting them with people who
will love and support them
