Surely, resilience is a strength? Perhaps, we might even say that it is an unwelcome companion – derived from the years of continual systematic failures, subtly hidden racist microaggressions, and unhealed intergenerational trauma suffered by people of colour, yet another shooting of a POC that appears in papers as a bleak statistic, and of course – the empty promises of a better tomorrow pandered to people around election time.
Yes, resilience is an inevitable result of extreme adversity!
But one thing the past couple of years have confirmed to us is this – humans are not blessed with unbreakable resilience or an ability to ignore injustice forever. For many, 2020 was a jarring wakeup call from the slumber of ignorance. Canadians watched our southern neighbours as the racial tension escalated and civil unrest increased following the unlawful death of George Floyd, whilst completely oblivious to our own failures at reconciling racial issues. Many, including I, were personally convicted of our passivity to the blaring disparities that exist within our society, but especially in our healthcare system – the very set-up designated to honour the value and worth of life.