You’re Not Imagining It: Confronting Racial Trauma in the Workplace

Members and guests of the Network for Black Women Leaders gathered across industries and sectors for a conversation many of us have needed for many years: a space to name, unpack, and begin to heal from racial trauma in the workplace.

We were honoured to be joined by Ngozi Cadmus, psychotherapist, TEDx speaker, founder of The Black Woman’s Rest Revolution, and the CEO of mental healthcare platform Happiworkers.

This was not your average DEI training session. It was a call to truth, a collective sigh, and a radical act of validation.

What is Racial Trauma?

Ngozi describes racial trauma as a cumulative psychological injury caused by systemic racism, microaggressions, and intergenerational pain. It is not a singular event, but a pattern of harm, often subtle, sustained, and socially sanctioned.

It can show up as:

Chronic anxiety, hypervigilance, or “paranoia” at work.
Sleep disturbances and nightmares.
Loss of trust in colleagues or managers.
Physical ailments like high blood pressure, inflammation, and autoimmune issues.
Emotional numbness, burnout, and depression.
Social withdrawal and identity confusion.

Many Black women are experiencing high-functioning depression. We’re showing up, smiling, performing, while slowly breaking down inside.

It’s not just in your head. It’s in your body.

Ngozi highlighted the science behind racialised stress: epigenetics shows that trauma can be inherited, encoded into our biology. It was sobering to settle into the realisation that our ancestors’ experiences of violence, loss, and marginalisation continue to shape our nervous systems today.

This is compounded by a culture that both fetishises Black women's strength and punishes our boundaries.

“We’re politicised from birth. Before we can speak, systems have already decided what we’re worth—and how we should behave.”

Pet to Threat: When praise turns to policing

Many participants recognised the “pet to threat” phenomenon: When Black women enter the workplace, they may initially be praised and supported, only to be sidelined once their competence, confidence, or ambition challenge the status quo.

Suddenly, you’re being micromanaged. Excluded from meetings. Your tone is policed. You’re no longer the favourite, you’re the problem. This erosion of trust and opportunity is both strategic and traumatic.

There was a time our families had to be strong… but now we need a different narrative. Strength doesn’t mean doing everything on your own anymore.

Racial Battle Fatigue Is Real

Ngozi introduced the concept of Racial Battle Fatigue: the mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion that comes from constantly navigating predominantly white spaces. This manifests in the workplace as:

Assimilation into the dominant norms of the workplace through code-switching
Self-silencing after racist incidents that retraumatise you.
Being “on guard” for the next microaggression.
Being left completely exhausted by the expectation to perform, not being believed, resisting, or surviving racism.

“We’re exhausted not just from doing the job, but from defending our right to do it.”

What Can We Do About It?

Ngozi led the group through practical steps for healing, recovery, and resistance:

1. Document Everything

Save emails. Write down microaggressions. Note physical symptoms. Track feedback. If the system gaslights you, have your receipts.

2. Reclaim Rest

Rest is not laziness. It’s medicine. It’s protest. It’s your birthright. Carve out moments to pause, breathe, unplug, and reconnect with yourself.

3. Find Your People

Healing is collective. Whether through therapy, sister circles, or groups like the Network for Black Women Leaders, do not heal in isolation. Find support.

4. Name It

There is power in language. Imposter syndrome, or racial trauma? A difficult colleague, or a systemic issue? Use the right terms and stop blaming yourself.

5. Build an Exit Strategy

Ngozi encourages Black women to financially prepare to leave toxic work environments, if needed: “You can't rest if you're broke. You can't heal if you’re trapped. Set yourself up to choose yourself. Work on your exit plan”.

Black Women Are Refusing the Superwoman Burden

One of the most powerful sentiments to rise from the session was: we don’t want to be 'strong' anymore. Not in the way the world demands of Black Women. Not at the cost of our health, dignity, or joy. We are setting boundaries. Choosing rest and choosing ourselves.

The session left attendees moved, grounded, and reminded that they are not alone. We thank Ngozi for her truth, her leadership, and for holding space for healing.

Resources for further learning:

Happiworkers
The Black Women's Rest Revolution
The Black Woman's Rest Revolution LinkedIn Liberation Lab
My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem*
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk*
Racial Trauma: Clinical Strategies and Techniques for Healing Invisible Wounds by Kenneth V. Hardy*
Why Am I Like This?: How to Break Cycles, Heal from Trauma, and Restore Your Faith by Kobe Campbell*
Living While Black: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Racial Trauma by Guilaine Kinouani*

*Affiliate Links: We’re proud to be part of the Bookshop.org affiliate programme — an online platform that helps support local, independent bookshops with every order. When you buy a book through our links, 10% goes directly to these bookshops, and we receive a small commission to help us continue our work. It’s an easy way to champion community-based bookselling and the joy of reading — even when shopping online.

Explore the Network for Black Women Leaders for access to mentorship, healing spaces, and tools for thriving in leadership. Join the NBWL mailing list to receive updates.

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