Since the police shooting of Michael Brown in 2014, “woke” is a term used to describe a sense of cultural and social justice awareness in America. But being told to “stay woke” can be exhausting. But should Black people be constantly subjected to traumatizing media for the sake of being socially aware? Like so much else that has been created within the Black community, staying “woke” has been used by everyone and is causing insomnia. People are having restless nights about what is happening in the world, and it is taking a toll on their mental health.
The Black community never intended to corner the market on staying socially alert. We want everybody in on this particular state of consciousness. Black people inherited the Post Traumatic Slavery Disorder from our ancestors. We are born into systemic racism that not only plagues America, but also the world.
Woke is what James Baldwin called being “relatively conscious.” He said that to be Black and woke is to be “in a rage almost all of the time.” And this can be tiring. We remain aware of racial microaggressions in our daily lives as well as the macroaggressions of institutional racism that keep social disparities in America thriving. This type of awareness is exhausting, but we can “stay woke” before it causes insomnia.
Originating from the Black Lives Matter movement, being a part of “woke culture” means staying tuned into what is going on in America and the world. This has inspired many who otherwise might not have educated themselves on the issues that Black Americans face.
For some, especially progressive white people, being “woke” is more like being a part of a social group rather than a part of a social movement. These people share Instagram posts about important issues and retweet videos of police brutality and suddenly they are self-proclaimed activists. Being and ally should go beyond hashtags, but “woke culture” has enabled many to believe they are totally familiar with the issues after a short scroll through social media.
The biggest problem with “woke culture” is the toll it takes on the Black community. For Black women, we deal with racism and sexism. We experience microaggressions every single day. Many understand the importance of being informed on the issues, but for Black Americans, our entire lives are the issues.
To understand our issues, white allies should continue to speak out on social media about social and racial injustice and should not be alarmed if they do not see their black peers doing so. Black people should engage in conversations about racism, but also be conscious of their mental health, and take breaks from the topic as needed. Because staying “woke” should not have to cause insomnia!
References
- Young D. The OverExplainer: Young, woke and tired. Essence. Published November 15, 2019. Accessed June 27, 2021.
- James O. Opinion: Black people shouldn’t have to be “woke” all the time. The Reveille. Published October 28, 2020. Accessed June 27, 2021.
