My Black Fatigue: A Plea for Peace Within

Lately, a particular kind of weariness has settled deep in my bones. It’s not just the fatigue of navigating a world that often misunderstands or undervalues Black lives; it’s a specific kind of exhaustion that hits closer to home. It’s a fatigue born from seeing something that breaks my heart repeatedly: videos of Black people fighting each other, killing each other, and harming our own.
Every time another clip surfaces, another news report details a tragic loss, another senseless act of violence within our communities, a wave of despair washes over me. It’s a profound sadness, a raw frustration that screams, “Enough!” We are battling so much from the outside – systemic injustices, racial prejudice, the constant pressure to prove our worth. To then turn around and see us turn that pain and anger inward… it’s a burden almost too heavy to bear.
This isn’t about pointing fingers or shaming. It’s about acknowledging a deep wound that needs healing. It’s about the truth that while external forces absolutely contribute to our struggles, we also have a responsibility to ourselves and to each other.
One of the most critical lessons we need to collectively embrace is the power of emotional control. We are human, and emotions run high. We experience anger, frustration, jealousy, and fear, just like anyone else. But for Black people, the stakes of unchecked emotions can feel devastatingly high. When conflicts arise, when disagreements fester, when pride takes over, are we reaching for understanding, or are we reaching for destruction?
The reality is, we often carry immense trauma – historical, intergenerational, and current. We live with the weight of expectations, the sting of discrimination, and the constant fight for dignity. It’s understandable that sometimes, that pressure can manifest in unhealthy ways. But understanding it doesn’t excuse it. We owe it to ourselves, to our ancestors, and to future generations to break this cycle. (Stop, Think, and Breathe and Make the Right Choice)
We need to learn to pause.
We need to learn to listen.
We need to learn to de-escalate.
We need to learn to forgive.
This isn’t easy work. It requires introspection, community dialogue, and a commitment to new ways of being. It means teaching our children, and ourselves, how to resolve conflict without violence, how to express frustration without resorting to harm, and how to value every single Black life as precious.
My Black fatigue comes from seeing us hurting ourselves. But my hope comes from believing in our collective power to heal. Let’s channel that frustration into constructive action. Let’s transform our pain into purpose. Let’s learn to master our emotions, not be mastered by them. Only then can we truly build the strong, peaceful, and thriving communities we all deserve.
What are your thoughts? How can we, as a community, foster greater emotional intelligence and internal peace?