Emergency Selfcare For Black Women
Things are rapidly changing across the globe and many of the issues and challenges that are unique to women, continue to grow. From socio-political unrest to domestic violence, women, children and the elderly are at the forefront. This makes it critically important that emergency selfcare for black women plans and strategies are in place regardless of where you are. Racism and anti-blackness are global and we as Black women need to have or create contingency plans in place. That means a plan, A, B, and C if it comes to that.
A sign of the times
Not to sound alarmist, but we all remember how January 6th went down, after the last presidential election and things are far more toxic. Given the state of the economy in the US, discontent, and rolling back of women’s and Black voting rights, it’s clear communities of color need to have their own contingencies in place. This is especially true for the Black community, given the violent and oppressive history of this country. Thus, it’s no surprise that Black women also need additional safety and security plans. Patriarchy is still a major player globally and is exacerbated by the institutionalized racism and discrimination that is foundational to the nation. So what can the average Black woman do to ensure she has relative safety, security, etc, if she’s not one of the privileged few, who’ve either left, leaving or have a geographic exit plan?
Keeping it real about selfcare and personal safety as a Black woman
While America has a lot of problems, it’s also true that the us does not have a monopoly on racism and anti-blackness. That being said, the average BIPOC person, is living their lives and navigating as best as possible. Many of us are doing well, but far too many in the Black community are struggling, especially Black women. The dark specter of patriarchy and misogyny means that Black women have even more barriers to navigate and fight against. This is true in all dimensions of society and culture. When you add in the current racial tensions, socio-economic discontent as well as escalated violence against women in general, the long-term effects can be very harmful and damaging.
The continued need for selfcare
This is why selfcare must be centered in the life of every woman and girl, especially. Yes, selfcare is important for everyone, but the reality is that women have been conditioned and arguably, brainwashed into believing that their exhaustion and marginalization are normal and a reasonable price to pay for “acceptance Abad protection” in society. As patriarchy continues to oppress women violently in response to women demanding autonomy and equal rights, safety and security need to be amplified in any selfcare toolkit. This is where emergency selfcare for Black women becomes a “thing”! Having a plan that includes self-defense, personal safety hacks, etc becomes even more important at a time when socio-political unrest is a possibility.
Some things to have as part of your emergency selfcare toolkit/plan :
- Emergency carry-all (aka go bag)
- Important documents (for yourself and your dependents)
- A valid passport (and passport card)
- List of important medications
- Emergency evacuation plan
- List of important phone numbers
- List of safe locations if geolocation needs to be executed
- Important community members and contacts
- Important electronics (including accessories, chargers, batteries, etc)
- Adaptive Mindfulness practices, wellness routines, etc
Final thoughts regarding selfcare for black women
History tells us that progress and real change, not just in North America, but worldwide, will not happen overnight. Patriarchy and white supremacy are amid an extinction burst, and black women need to exit stage left. We as a collective, no longer have the luxury of setting ourselves on fire to keep other folks warm. Instead, we must get the necessary to ensure that we thrive and not just survive. This means, starting prioritizing your health, getting the tools to do so, and geolocating if necessary. For more on prioritizing your health check out this post here!
