VIBE Check

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This week on VIBE Check, we’re digging deep into the layered trauma Black men face in America. In honor of Juneteenth and PTSD awareness, and Men’s Mental Health Month, we’re asking: What does freedom really look like if your mind isn’t free? 

We’ll explore: How the legacy of slavery, incarceration, and state violence contributes to PTSD in Black men. Why Black men are less likely to be diagnosed or treated for trauma—and how racism in healthcare plays a role. The unspoken rules of masculinity in BIPOC communities and how they harm queer, trans, and emotionally expressive men. The rise of healing spaces created by and for Black men—like barbershop therapy, mutual aid groups, and culturally competent providers.

Sources: 

https://jedfoundation.org/what-juneteenth-can-teach-us-about-racial-trauma-and-the-resilience-of-the-black-community/

https://mhanational.org/resources/racial-trauma/

https://www.verywellmind.com/mental-health-resources-for-the-black-community-5181656

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_Traumatic_Slave_Syndrome

https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/observing-juneteenth-and-supporting-mental-health

https://www.psychiatrist.com/news/beyond-juneteenth-the-mental-health-crises-facing-black-youth/

https://www.avancecare.com/recognizing-juneteenth-and-its-effects-on-mental-health/

https://www.claritychi.com/blog/celebrating-and-supporting-black-mental-health-on-juneteenth

https://www.sondermind.com/resources/articles-and-content/racism-and-racial-trauma-how-your-therapist-can-help-you-heal/

https://www.health.com/condition/ptsd/generational-trauma

https://theconversation.com/the-legacy-of-anti-black-racism-the-public-health-crisis-of-racial-trauma-246104

https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/i457jh/science_discussion_series_we_are_mental_health/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8004354/

https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2019-01033-001.html?ref=popsugar.com

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8807349/pdf/nihms-1773410.pdf

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/17456916221120428

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-72066-001

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From outdated sex ed to abortion bans and systemic racism, our hosts unpack how policies, stigma, and shame combine to create a war on teen autonomy—especially for BIPOC, queer, and low-income youth.

Source List: 

Teen Sexual Health & Behavior

• Guttmacher Institute – Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in the United State: https://www.guttmacher.org/sites/default/files/factsheet/adolescent-sexual-and-reproductive-health-in-united-states.pdf 
• Guttmacher Institute – Trends in U.S. Adolescent Sexual Behavior and Contraceptive Use, 2006–2019: https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2021/04/trends-us-adolescent-sexual-behavior-and-contraceptive-use-2006-2019guttmacher.org

Sex Education Policies

• Planned Parenthood Action – Sex Education Laws and State Attacks https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/sex-education/sex-education-laws-and-state-attacksthe74million.org+7newsweek.com+7guttmacher.org+7
• National Conference of State Legislatures – State Policies on Sex Education in Schools: https://www.ncsl.org/health/state-policies-on-sex-education-in-schools

 Abortion Access & Parental Involvement Laws

• Planned Parenthood – Parental Consent & Notification Laws: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/teens/stds-birth-control-pregnancy/parental-consent-and-notification-lawsmed.stanford.edu
• Guttmacher Institute – Parental Involvement in Minors' Abortions: https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/parental-involvement-minors-abortionsstatecourtreport.org+4en.wikipedia.org+4med.stanford.edu+4
• KFF – Parental Consent/Notification Requirements for Minors Seeking Abortions: https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/state-indicator/parental-consentnotification/med.stanford.edu+2en.wikipedia.org+2guttmacher.org+2

Reproductive Justice & Black Women’s Activism

• AAIHS – Reproductive Justice and Black Women's Activism: https://www.aaihs.org/reproductive-justice-and-black-womens-activism/aaihs.org+3healthlaw.org+3plannedparenthood.org+3
• In Our Own Voice – Reproductive Justice: https://blackrj.org/our-causes/reproductive-justice/blackrj.org
• Planned Parenthood – Black History Month: Leaders in Reproductive Justice: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-orange-san-bernardino/about-us/blog/black-history-month-leaders-in-reproductive-justice
• Teen Vogue – What Black Women Activists Want You to Know About Organizing for Reproductive Justice: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/what-black-women-activists-want-you-to-know-about-organizing-for-reproductive-justice

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In this episode, we explore how rest can be a radical act of resistance against grind culture, capitalism, and inequitable workplaces. We unpack the difference between commercialized self-care and true, collective healing, and why rest is deeply political. Join us as we reframe rest not as a luxury, but as a necessary tool for liberation and community care. 

Source Links: 

https://alp.org/breaking-isolation-self-care-and-community-care-tools-our-people

https://www.essence.com/beauty/national-self-care-day-personal-essay-audre-lorde-teachings/

https://thenapministry.wordpress.com/2021/01/11/our-work-is-has-a-framework/

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/24/burnout-modern-affliction-or-human-condition

https://www.thebaseeq.com/blog/mental-health-for-doctors-burnout-not-personal-failure

https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/blog/liberation-through-rest-pause-and-resist-an-invitation-to-imagine-collective-resistance

https://drkimhires.com/2022/12/26/burnout-is-not-an-individual-failure/

https://journals.indianapolis.iu.edu/index.php/muj/article/view/27554

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1422201.pdf

https://eric.ed.gov/?q=culture+AND+stress&pg=23&id=EJ1422201

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/05/10493153/reclaiming-self-care-audre-lorde-black-women-community-care

https://scholarworks.smith.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=eng_facpubs

https://www.mentalhealthtoday.co.uk/blog/awareness/why-acknowledging-and-celebrating-the-black-feminist-origins-of-self-care-is-essential

https://abfe.issuelab.org/resources/44178/44178.pdf

https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1127470930

https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2022/05/06/problems-burnout-are-collective-not-just-individual-opinion

https://feministkilljoys.com/2014/08/25/selfcare-as-warfare/

https://lrcplc.com/rest-deepens-resilience/

https://www.cantonpl.org/blog

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In this powerful episode, we confront the ongoing epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S) — a crisis that spans generations and continues to be underreported, underinvestigated, and misunderstood. Our hosts take a deep dive into what many are calling a "data genocide," unpacking how colonial systems have erased Indigenous lives not only through violence, but also through the systemic silencing of their stories in law enforcement databases, media coverage, and national statistics.

Sources to Check Out: 

A Quick Reference Guide for Families of Missing Indigenous Women: What to Do in the First 72 Hours. National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. 

A Step Toward Justice: Examining the collaboration between Urban Indian Health Institute and the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the lessons learned from this partnership. Urban Indian Health Institute and King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. 

A Year 1 Project Report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People of Northern California (To' Kee Skuy' Soo Ney-Wo-Chek' I Will See You Again in a Good Way). Sovereign Bodies Institute. 

Building the Sacred: An Indigenous Evaluation Framework for Programs Serving Native Survivors of Violence. Urban Indian Health Institute. 

Four Years Later: Kaysera’s Family Continues to Fight for Justice. National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. 

MMIW Survival Guide. Prepared by Fox Valley Technical College under cooperative agreement from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice.

Protecting the Sacred: Addressing Sexual Violence and Gender-based Violence Against Natives during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Urban Indian Health Institute.

Service as Ceremony: A Journey Toward Healing. Polansky, L., Ferronato, H., and Echo-Hawk, A. Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle Indian Health Board. 

Supporting the Sacred: Womxn of Resilience. Baker, L., Goforth-Ward, M., May, K., and Echo-Hawk, A. Urban Indian Health Institute, Seattle Indian Health Board. 

Unbottling an Epidemic: MMIWG Jane Doe Edition. Sovereign Bodies Institute. Text by Elizabeth K. Skye. 

Unseen: A California Crisis - Elizabeth Cook reports on California's missing indigenous women. KPIX | CBS NEWS BAY AREA. YouTube. 

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In this episode our hosts explore and address issues surrounding violence, particularly domestic and sexual violence, and explore systemic failures in providing support and safety, especially for marginalized communities. They will detail the healthcare gap, law enforcement failures, and broken community supports that disproportionately affect minority survivors, emphasizing the need for trauma-informed and culturally competent responses. 

Sources for Further Reading: 

• https://www.nsvrc.org/prevention
• https://forge-forward.org/training/trainings/
• https://incite-national.org/stop-law-enforcement-violence/
• https://rainn.org/articles/your-role-preventing-sexual-assault
• https://translifeline.org/resources/
• https://ia800405.us.archive.org/30/items/12ThingsToDoInsteadOfCallingTheCops/12things-screen.pdf
• https://helpingamericansfindhelp.org/50-states-public-assistance-guide/
• https://alp.org/programs
• https://www.raliance.org/tools/
• https://esperanzaunited.org/en/
• https://api-gbv.org/about-us/
• https://ujimacommunity.org/
• https://nnedv.org/
• https://futureswithoutviolence.org/
• https://www.thehotline.org/
• https://www.healingtoaction.org/
• https://survivorsknow.org/
• https://metoomvmt.org/
• https://www.freefrom.org/
• https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/resources/the-body-keeps-the-score

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In this compelling episode, we explore the vital concept of consent and why it’s a fundamental human right that must be respected across all ages. From childhood to adulthood, consent plays a critical role in shaping healthy relationships, bodily autonomy, and mutual respect. Join us as we delve into real-life stories, expert insights, and practical strategies for teaching and honoring consent at every stage of life. Whether you're a parent, educator, or simply curious about building a more respectful society, this episode offers empowering takeaways for everyone. 

Sources: 
https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/700childrens/2024/11/its-important-to-use-the-correct-names-for-parts-of-the-body-heres-why
https://repository.usfca.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1638&context=diss
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10538712.2021.1985672
https://jewlscholar.mtsu.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/9df84acb-0de7-4733-bb57-984b2314d25f/content
https://www.ccasa.org/actual-anatomy-teaching-your-children-body-parts/
https://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1039&context=socs_fac
https://www.nsvrc.org/
https://www.nsvrc.org/safety-prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/about-teen-dating-violence.html
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/su/su7304a7.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/intimate-partner-violence-sexual-violence-and-stalking-among-men.html
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/p0213-yrbs.html
https://www.cdc.gov/sexual-violence/about-data/sexual-victimization/ucr.html
https://www.cdc.gov/sexual-violence/about-data/sexual-victimization/surveys.html
https://www.jahonline.org/article/1054-139X(94)00063-K/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(23)00199-4/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(20)30738-2/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(23)00369-5/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(16)30784-4/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(18)30251-9/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(20)30230-5/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(20)30457-2/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(17)30058-7/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(07)00322-9/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(21)00683-2/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(17)30857-1/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(02)00443-3/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(04)00293-9/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(10)00597-5/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/1054-139X(96)81141-4/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(13)00644-7/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(17)30649-3/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(23)00202-1/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(16)30086-6/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(18)30307-0/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(08)00232-2/fulltext
https://www.jahonline.org/article/0197-0070(89)90007-7/fulltext

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For centuries, the medical field has defined what we "know" about women's bodies—but how much of that knowledge is actually based on science, and how much is just bad history? In this episode we dive into the ways the medical profession has controlled and sometimes outright misrepresented women's health. From ancient myths about hysteria to modern-day gaps in research, we explore how misinformation took root, why it still lingers, and what it means for healthcare today. With a mix of history, humor, and critical discussion, we break down the facts, challenge the misconceptions, and ask: who really gets to decide what’s "true" about women’s bodies? 

SOURCES: 
Cleghorn, E. (2021). Unwell women: Misdiagnosis and myth in a man-made world. Dutton.

Davis, D. C. (2019). Reproductive injustice: Racism, pregnancy, and premature birth. NYU Press.

Ehrenreich, B., & English, D. (2005). For her own good: Two centuries of the experts’ advice to women. Anchor Books.

Schiebinger, L. (1989). The mind has no sex? Women in the origins of modern science. Harvard University Press.

Showalter, E. (1985). The female malady: Women, madness, and English culture, 1830-1980. Pantheon.

Washington, H. A. (2007). Medical apartheid: The dark history of medical experimentation on Black Americans from colonial times to the present. Anchor Books.

Herzberg, D. (2020). White market drugs: Big Pharma and the hidden history of addiction in America. University of Chicago Press.

Barker-Benfield, G. J. (1976). The horrors of the half-known life: Male attitudes toward women and sexuality in nineteenth-century America. Harper & Row.

Briggs, L. (2002). Reproducing empire: Race, sex, science, and U.S. imperialism in Puerto Rico. University of California Press.

Martin, E. (1987). The woman in the body: A cultural analysis of reproduction. Beacon Press.

Obermeyer, C. M. (1999). Female genital surgeries: The known, the unknown, and the unknowable. Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 13(1), 79-106.

The Guardian. (2020). How medical bias against women can be deadly. 

Villarosa, L. (2018). Why America’s Black mothers and babies are in a life-or-death crisis. The New York Times Magazine. 

Weiss, S. (2018). Women are still being institutionalized for defying gender norms. 

Hysteria & Female Mental Health: Showalter, E. (1985). The female malady: Women, madness, and English culture, 1830-1980. Pantheon.

Racism in Gynecology & Medical Experimentation: Washington, H. A. (2007). Medical apartheid.

Misrepresentation of Female Anatomy: Schiebinger, L. (1989). The mind has no sex? Women in the origins of modern science. Harvard University Press.

Women & Opioid Prescriptions in the 19th Century: Herzberg, D. (2020). White market drugs: Big Pharma and the hidden history of addiction in America.

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Summary: This episode looks at the intersection of eugenics, racial discrimination, and gender-based violence, focusing on how the eugenics movement influenced reproductive control over women of color.

Sources Cited:

• AP News. (2020). Lawmakers Seek Inquiry into Claims of Forced Hysterectomies at ICE Center. Retrieved from AP News
• Black, E. (2003). War Against the Weak: Eugenics and America's Campaign to Create a Master Race. Four Walls Eight Windows.
• Briggs, L. (2002). Reproducing Empire: Race, Sex, Science, and U.S. Imperialism in Puerto Rico. University of California Press.
• Buck v. Bell, 274 U.S. 200 (1927).
• CDC. (2022). Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Pregnancy-Related Deaths. Retrieved from [CDC website].
• Davis, A. (1983). Women, Race, & Class. Random House.
• Friedlander, H. (1995). The Origins of Nazi Genocide: From Euthanasia to the Final Solution. University of North Carolina Press.
• Greenhalgh, S. (2008). Just One Child: Science and Policy in Deng's China. University of California Press.
• Kevles, D. (1985). In the Name of Eugenics: Genetics and the Uses of Human Heredity. Harvard University Press.
• Lawrence, J. (2000). "The Indian Health Service and the Sterilization of Native American Women." American Indian Quarterly.
• Lifton, R. J. (1986). The Nazi Doctors: Medical Killing and the Psychology of Genocide. Basic Books.
• Lombardo, P. (2011). A Century of Eugenics in America. Indiana University Press.
• Ngai, M. (2004). Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America. Princeton University Press.
• Presser, L. & Hraba, J. (1983). "Some Social and Psychological Consequences of Puerto Rican Sterilization." Social Science & Medicine, 17(9), 579–586.
• Reverby, S. M. (2009). Examining Tuskegee: The Infamous Syphilis Study and Its Legacy. University of North Carolina Press.
• Ross, L. (2017). Reproductive Justice: An Introduction. University of California Press.
• SFGate. (2021). California to compensate victims of forced sterilization. Retrieved from [SFGate website].
• Speri, A. (2020). Whistleblower Alleges ICE Performed Mass Hysterectomies. The Intercept.
• Stern, A. (2005). Eugenic Nation: Faults and Frontiers of Better Breeding in Modern America. University of California Press.
• Stote, K. (2015). An Act of Genocide: Colonialism and the Sterilization of Aboriginal Women. Fernwood Publishing.
• Schmidt, M. (2021, May 28). Not just ICE: Forced sterilization in the United States. Human Rights Quarterly International Law and Human Rights Blog. University of Cincinnati College of Law.
• Torres, M. (2019, August 27). The little-known history of the forced sterilization of Native American women. JSTOR Daily.
• National Human Genome Research Institute. (n.d.). Eugenics timeline. Genome.gov.