TULSA, Okla, (KFOR) – The Mental Health Association Oklahoma will be soon be hosting a virtual support group for the trauma and stress many are feeling related to the death of George Floyd and the ongoing crisis in America.
“The unrest is not just outside – it’s within us,” said Carmen White Janak, a diversity, equity and inclusion professional and a non-denominational minister – ready to lead a virtual support group during this difficult time.
“Before we were dealing with one pandemic and now we have another that we are completely engulfed in,” she said.
Janak says racism has been in this country forever – including in 1968 when her cousin was killed by a police officer in San Antonio.
“There was no hashtag for him and people watched him be murdered in the street.”
Janak says she couldn’t bear to watch the video of George Floyd’s death – but read the transcript – including when he called for his mother – saying she knew what that meant.
“That was his place of safety,” she said.
Now, she’s joining in protests – along with her children and loved ones.
“My nephew said not if but when I become a hashtag,” Janak said. “It hit me so hard.”
That anxiety is why she says it will be so important for Oklahomans to join together in the virtual support group put on by the mental health association – because even she can’t find the words sometimes when she encounters law enforcement.
“I felt bad but then I was unapologetic that that uniform scares me and it’s unfortunate,” said Janak. “It’s very unfortunate.”
The classes are free and open to anyone.
“The mental health association wants to use this as our way of having a voice in being able to support the community and the state as we all struggle in this moment in our country’s history,” said Mike Brose, CEO of the Mental Health Association Oklahoma.
Janak says it’s important for people who are not black to educate themselves.
“Your black friends – we’re tired of answering the questions, honestly,” she said.
Janak says to ask how they are doing – and listen and take a stand.
“We want to be seen, we want to be heard and we want to know that we actually matter so when people say things like ‘all lives matter’ well thank you, Captain Obvious,” she said. “That’s obvious, yes. All lives matter but all lives are not being hunted down in the streets in this country.”
The Coping with Trauma from Racial Injustice support and open dialogue group will start at 7 p.m. June 15th.
More details can be found at mha.org/supportgroups.
