I feel a lot of pressure to represent my community in predominantly white spaces, and it's stressful. How can I handle this pressure without compromising my well-being?

I have found that talking about these microaggressions openly around friends who are BIPOC has helped me in navigating that sphere. My friends who share similar stories and situations, not only acknowledge my feelings, but make me feel validated for feeling the way that I do. It is common for my mind to overthink or do a double take if I hear a questionable comment, so having a space to share and get these feelings off my chest relieves some of that mental capacity. Additionally, I’m not known for being shy or nonchalant, so speaking up in these situations with a simple “What do you mean?” or having these individuals explain themselves, is a subtle enough comment that it doesn’t come off rude. However, being able to differentiate those with bias and ignorance, rather than those with malicious intent has really helped me control my emotions in those situations as well.

Crisis Text Line Mental Health Professional Team