Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
Audiobook6 hours
Black Fatigue: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body, and Spirit
Written by Mary-Frances Winters
Narrated by Robin Miles
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
This is the first book to define and explore Black fatigue, the intergenerational impact of systemic racism on the physical and psychological health of Black people—and explain why and how society needs to collectively do more to combat its pernicious effects.
Black people, young and old, are fatigued, says award-winning diversity and inclusion leader Mary-Frances Winters. It is physically, mentally, and emotionally draining to continue to experience inequities and even atrocities, day after day, when justice is a God-given and legislated right. And it is exhausting to have to constantly explain this to white people, even—and especially—well-meaning white people, who fall prey to white fragility and too often are unwittingly complicit in upholding the very systems they say they want dismantled.
This book, designed to illuminate the myriad dire consequences of “living while Black,” came at the urging of Winters's Black friends and colleagues. Winters describes how in every aspect of life—from economics to education, work, criminal justice, and, very importantly, health outcomes—for the most part, the trajectory for Black people is not improving. It is paradoxical that, with all the attention focused over the last fifty years on social justice and diversity and inclusion, little progress has been made in actualizing the vision of an equitable society.
Black people are quite literally sick and tired of being sick and tired. Winters writes that “my hope for this book is that it will provide a comprehensive summary of the consequences of Black fatigue, and awaken activism in those who care about equity and justice—those who care that intergenerational fatigue is tearing at the very core of a whole race of people who are simply asking for what they deserve.”
Black people, young and old, are fatigued, says award-winning diversity and inclusion leader Mary-Frances Winters. It is physically, mentally, and emotionally draining to continue to experience inequities and even atrocities, day after day, when justice is a God-given and legislated right. And it is exhausting to have to constantly explain this to white people, even—and especially—well-meaning white people, who fall prey to white fragility and too often are unwittingly complicit in upholding the very systems they say they want dismantled.
This book, designed to illuminate the myriad dire consequences of “living while Black,” came at the urging of Winters's Black friends and colleagues. Winters describes how in every aspect of life—from economics to education, work, criminal justice, and, very importantly, health outcomes—for the most part, the trajectory for Black people is not improving. It is paradoxical that, with all the attention focused over the last fifty years on social justice and diversity and inclusion, little progress has been made in actualizing the vision of an equitable society.
Black people are quite literally sick and tired of being sick and tired. Winters writes that “my hope for this book is that it will provide a comprehensive summary of the consequences of Black fatigue, and awaken activism in those who care about equity and justice—those who care that intergenerational fatigue is tearing at the very core of a whole race of people who are simply asking for what they deserve.”
Author
Mary-Frances Winters
Mary-Frances Winters is the founder and president of the Winters Group Inc., a diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firm. She has been helping clients create inclusive environments for over three decades. Winters was named a diversity pioneer by Profiles in Diversity Journal and is the recipient of the prestigious ATHENA Award as well as the Winds of Change Award conferred by the Forum on Workplace Inclusion. She was named by Forbes as one of the top ten diversity and inclusion consultants. Winters is also the author of the bestselling We Can't Talk about That at Work.
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Reviews for Black Fatigue
Rating: 4.72289156626506 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
83 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great listen very detailed and informative can teach a whole college course on this book.
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The book was an eye opener. It really got me thinking about the broader impact that racism has on us which we don't even consider.
Black people are expected to be robots and that needs to change.
Women must be strong and men must be emotionally un available. Then who will teach our kids how to be and embrace who they are1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Validation. Just plain tired of all the racism. Now I know that I am not alone.
1 person found this helpful