18
According to Dr. DeGruy, overcoming deep-rooted traumas requires a multifaceted approach that incorporates trauma-informed care and addresses historical and contemporary experiences of racism( 2020).
Healing-focused engagement emphasizes collective well-being, cultural restoration, and strengths-based approaches rather than deficit-based models. This approach offers a promising framework for African American communities. However, the rise of right-wing populism and overtly racist rhetoric in Western countries poses a significant obstacle.
Flashmag! Issue 161 June 2025
These movements often exploit racial anxieties and socioeconomic insecurities, promoting exclusionary nationalism and undermining efforts toward equity and reconciliation( Scott Simon, 2024). The resurgence of the far right in Europe and North America has been marked by a rise in anti-immigration sentiment, cultural conservatism, and, in some cases, explicit white supremacist politics( Prem, AS, 2024).
This type of political environment conflicts with the global imperative to redress historical injustices and recognize the effects of structural racism. In short, far-right populism prevents humanity from evolving toward a model that recognizes past injustices, especially those against Africa and its descendants, and embraces global recognition of human diversity. Differences in color and culture should not be used as tools to despise and categorize certain people as subhuman. As it stands, the political climate in the West is content to stir up racist tensions for obscure political gain on both the left and right instead of helping to manage them.
18