b'Helping others copeAmid protests and violence, counselors and clergy stepped in to help communities come to terms with grief and stress.Howard Stevenson, expert on racial stress and trauma ism, sexism, and homophobia, said Dr. Stevenson, a University of Pennsylvania psychology professor When Dr. Howard Steven- and national expert on racial stress and trauma. son watched the Black LivesThese are real-world lessons that you cant al-Matter protests last summer,ways learn in the classroom.he had mixed emotions. PartDr. Stevenson grew up in the 1960s in southern of him was delighted, and theDelaware. He lived in a family where you had to other part was nervous. do something when someone was a target of a He was proud that youngracial slight, threat, or violence. You couldnt just people were carrying out thelet it slide.legacy of protest that has ledIn his work today, he said, he helps people negoti-to a substantial change in this country, he told us.ate stressful racial moments so they dont end in He was also scared that they might be harmed byharm or mistreatment. He said it is important to the police and scared about their safety. learn how to deal with these moments because In the summer of 2020, Black Lives Matter protestsunresolved racial situations that are traumatic can occurred in cities and towns across the Unitedlinger for years. It can disrupt your self-esteem.States and around the globe after the police killingHe said kids today can help reduce racial prob-of a Black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis,lems by sharing accurate information with friends Minnesota. The Black Lives Matter movementand family members. They have more access to started in 2013 with the goals of preventing Blackinformation than when he was growing up. In the deaths caused by violence, improving Black lives1960s, he said, the information came from theby building power and voice, and raising aware- top down. ness about racial justice and equality. Parents wouldnt share the information and we The Black Lives Matter protests taught kids thatdidnt have TVs, so we didnt hear stuff, he said. our society still has serious problems, such as rac- Now you can get it on your phone, you can watch 35'