"Healing for us looks different than most people,""While anger and its expression is an important emotion to grapple with, Black people are not given any space to express that anger or rage without experiencing a negative outcome. Black people need time and space to even accept that we need healing, as we've been forced to move on in spite of [what's happened]..."
Barlow, who is also an assistant professor of writing at George Washington University, said that black people have a long history of resilience and creating"healing spaces," including the"poetry, chants and prayers used during the protests and movements for Black lives" over the last century to"music genres we pioneered like gospel, jazz, R&B, hip hop."
Barlow said she has spent the week urging people to create healthy boundaries in their life and engage in self-care. Barlow recognizes that will look different for everyone and can include dance, music, crafts, yoga, meditation, baking, gardening, sports, laughter, and spiritual and religious practice. Workplaces, she adds, can also offer opportunities for black employees to take care of themselves.