Balm in Gilead

Abstract

Globally people live their lives in a raced, gendered, nationality statued, abled, and classed society within localized geographic, political, and social contexts. In the United States, because of its long and fractured relationship with race, race and racism feel synonymous. Critical Race Theorists declare that racism is endemic to our society and whiteness functions as property within a continuous seller's market. It is widely understood that racism exists at multiple levels—micro (personal), meso (institutional), and macro (societal levels)—and the trauma it inflicts runs broadly and deeply as its tentacles fuse people to systems and structures. Systems and structures, while existing at the meso and macro levels, impact and are impacted by the micro level which includes the interpersonal and intrapersonal. The extant literature suggests racial healing must occur at all levels and across all people groups for it to be long-lasting, requiring disruption at all levels and across all people, from those who benefit from it and those who do not. This chapter focuses on those who do not and imagines ways writing can function as liberative cure.