Welcome back to savvy psychologist. I'm your host Dr Jade Wu.

Every week I'll help you meet life's challenges with evidence-based research,

a sympathetic ear, and zero judgment.

Racism negatively affects black and African American mental health and some ways people can protect themselves

from racism's toxic effects. Today we take a look at some first steps the rest of us can take, with a nice serving of humble pie and a focus on

acknowledging our own role. Have you ever called a Black acquaintance you've met multiple

times by the wrong name because you mix

them up with another black person even though they look nothing alike. Maybe

you assumed your white friend's new boyfriend was also white until you met him and learned he was Latino.

Ever laughed at or made a joke about a hurtful Asian stereotype?

What about coming home from a party and suddenly realizing that you introduce

yourself only to strangers of your own race all evening, even though the party was pretty

diverse? I've done these things. even though the party was pretty diverse.

I've done these things, and there have been many other times, including some I still haven't realized. When I participated in perpetuating racial prejudice, stereotyping, creating social distance between races

and discrimination.

That sentence was incredibly hard to say out loud.

It was especially hard to say without adding qualifiers like

perhaps or accidentally or just like anyone else.

And this is because I genuinely believe I am a good person

who is not racist, and the idea of me contributing to racism

sends my brain into Defcon 3 defensive mode. If you can relate to

this or even if you don't think you can, but you do feel uncomfortable talking about racism, today's discussion is for you.

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