3 Experiences of Harm

The impacts of uncompensated labour, microaggressions, and systemic racism imbued within the academy have come at a cost to students of colour. Interwoven into their responses in our study were the direct experiences of harm that have been produced by centring and protecting whiteness in the classroom. Often taking the form of invalidating and dismissing lived experiences, questioning race/oppression/elements of racial identity, and tokenism (to name a few), students of colour have been positioned to be the receivers of adverse reactions, backlash, emotions, and conversation from both students and faculty.

Students of colour were clear in naming and explaining the catastrophic effects that repeated racist and discriminatory experiences have in their lives. Consistent amongst our findings and in literature is the manifestation of racial trauma, which is a form of PTSD/trauma and emotional reaction that comes from repeated and/or daily discrimination, racism, and marginalization. As students of colour consistently bump up against these experiences in academia, racial trauma begins to develop in a multitude of ways that cascade into numerous areas of wellbeing, including:

Emotional/Mental

• Persistent feelings of anger, defensiveness, unprovoked crying, dissociation, sadness, withdrawal and social isolation, lack of concentration and attention, and self-silencing
• Hyperarousal symptoms, such as avoidance and numbing
• Perceived threat and harm
• Mental health concerns, such as depression, PTSD, mood disorder, low self-esteem and sense of self, and suicidal ideation

Physical 

• Psychosomatic complaints: issues with sleep such as oversleeping or interrupted sleep, lethargy and lacking energy, and brain fog
• Frequent migraines and headaches, muscle tensions and spasms, and eye twitching
• Comorbid health issues: increased levels of stress and associated cardiovascular issues

Cultural/Spiritual

• Disconnection from culture in order to assimilate or gain acceptance
• Having culture or spirituality questioned; attack on core sense of self
• Limited opportunities to connect with other members of own culture or spirituality due to lack of representation; limited and stringent culturally reflective supports
• Discomfort in asking for accommodation to attend or engage in cultural and spiritual practices
• Tokenizing culture or spirituality

Financial and Academic

• Lack of attendance and engagement in course content and course at large
• Divestment from schooling and grades, having to repeat classes/years of study
• Bearing financial costs of counselling, supports, repeated courses and years
• Increased efforts in finding literature, scholarly evidence for experiences and assignments

Social 

• Distrust, isolation, loneliness, and lack of peer support
• Tainted image: student of colour often positioned as combative, aggressive, or distracting, thus furthering divide between students of colour and faculty/peers
• Distance from school “community”, discomfort in attending school events and activities, difficulties navigating conversation with professors and peers

The unified voice of students of colour was clear in stating that the manifestation of racial trauma and its perverse effects stem from a lack of sufficient and thoughtful attendance and support in all areas of academia. This creates and reproduces unsafe experiences for students of colour that are present in interpersonal relationships with white counterparts in the classroom, in interactions with professors and faculty, in presentation and reception of curriculum, and in subjective knowledge across disciplines in a fashion that is harmful and laborious to all elements of self, purpose, and well-being.