Cara Anthony

She's an assistant professor at Penn State and a licensed mental health provider.

She's an assistant professor at Penn State and a licensed mental health provider.

Oh, for sure. And I'm not faulting my ancestors for that. Times were different then, you know. Sometimes that's what they felt they had to do to survive and to stay safe. But over time, Aisha told me that holding her in hurts us.

Oh, for sure. And I'm not faulting my ancestors for that. Times were different then, you know. Sometimes that's what they felt they had to do to survive and to stay safe. But over time, Aisha told me that holding her in hurts us.

So, Emily, for the past few years, I've been reporting on a small town that's been deeply shaped by this silence, Sykeston, Missouri. That reporting was the basis for a documentary and a podcast both called Silence in Sykeston.

So, Emily, for the past few years, I've been reporting on a small town that's been deeply shaped by this silence, Sykeston, Missouri. That reporting was the basis for a documentary and a podcast both called Silence in Sykeston.

I think Sykeston illustrates this intersection of racism and history and secret keeping and how all those things combine to affect the health of an individual and of a community.

I think Sykeston illustrates this intersection of racism and history and secret keeping and how all those things combine to affect the health of an individual and of a community.

I want to take you back to 1942, because that year, a Black man named Cleo Wright was lynched in Sykeston, Missouri.

I want to take you back to 1942, because that year, a Black man named Cleo Wright was lynched in Sykeston, Missouri.

This is Mabel Cook, or Miss Mabel as she was introduced to me. She was a teenager in Sykeston in the 1940s, and she witnessed Cleo Wright's lynching. A lot of Black families went through that same thing.

This is Mabel Cook, or Miss Mabel as she was introduced to me. She was a teenager in Sykeston in the 1940s, and she witnessed Cleo Wright's lynching. A lot of Black families went through that same thing.

What was surprising is that this case captured national, even international attention. It was the first time a lynching ever led to a federal investigation, meaning the FBI investigated it as a crime for the first time.

What was surprising is that this case captured national, even international attention. It was the first time a lynching ever led to a federal investigation, meaning the FBI investigated it as a crime for the first time.

But Emily, ultimately, it came to nothing. The all-white grand jury failed. was sympathetic to the mob. And with time, the story was buried, like nothing had ever happened.

But Emily, ultimately, it came to nothing. The all-white grand jury failed. was sympathetic to the mob. And with time, the story was buried, like nothing had ever happened.

Definitely, for sure. I mean, I'm a health reporter and I'm also a Black woman. So when I look at an issue, those are two of the lenses I'm looking through. Totally, yeah. I started reporting for KFF Health News in 2019. That same year, a group of researchers found that Black men in the United States are about two and a half times more likely to be killed by police than white men.

Definitely, for sure. I mean, I'm a health reporter and I'm also a Black woman. So when I look at an issue, those are two of the lenses I'm looking through. Totally, yeah. I started reporting for KFF Health News in 2019. That same year, a group of researchers found that Black men in the United States are about two and a half times more likely to be killed by police than white men.

Yeah, young people don't learn about him in Sykeson schools. Older people didn't want to talk about him much either. And fast forward about 80 years, Sykeson is still dealing with racism, violence, and silence. What do you mean by that? Well, in 2020, Sykeson police killed a young Black man named Denzel Taylor.

Yeah, young people don't learn about him in Sykeson schools. Older people didn't want to talk about him much either. And fast forward about 80 years, Sykeson is still dealing with racism, violence, and silence. What do you mean by that? Well, in 2020, Sykeson police killed a young Black man named Denzel Taylor.

Even though he was unarmed, the city's chief of public safety told me that officers believed Denzel had a gun and feared for their lives. The officers themselves declined to comment. Denzel's family later sued the city of Sykeston. The city and the family reached a wrongful death settlement for $2 million. Close to half of it went to legal fees.

Even though he was unarmed, the city's chief of public safety told me that officers believed Denzel had a gun and feared for their lives. The officers themselves declined to comment. Denzel's family later sued the city of Sykeston. The city and the family reached a wrongful death settlement for $2 million. Close to half of it went to legal fees.

And in the wake of these events, there was a lot of silence. Emily, multiple people asked me why I was examining the deaths of Cleo Wright and Denzel Taylor side by side. As a health reporter, I wanted to focus on the trauma that remains after the violence against these men, the possible health effects for their families and their communities.

And in the wake of these events, there was a lot of silence. Emily, multiple people asked me why I was examining the deaths of Cleo Wright and Denzel Taylor side by side. As a health reporter, I wanted to focus on the trauma that remains after the violence against these men, the possible health effects for their families and their communities.

Keisha Bentley Edwards is an associate professor in internal medicine at Duke University. She studies structural racism and chronic health conditions, and she knows a lot about what happens to a community after a lynching.

Keisha Bentley Edwards is an associate professor in internal medicine at Duke University. She studies structural racism and chronic health conditions, and she knows a lot about what happens to a community after a lynching.

Exactly. And Keisha says part of the stress comes from being Black, being aware that you may be perceived as a threat just by being alive, just by going through your everyday life, which is a factor in Black people's health. Here's Ayesha Lee again.

Exactly. And Keisha says part of the stress comes from being Black, being aware that you may be perceived as a threat just by being alive, just by going through your everyday life, which is a factor in Black people's health. Here's Ayesha Lee again.

That accumulated stress from both institutional racism and the racism in everyday interactions, it has documented effects. Black people age faster, get sicker, and die sooner than our white peers. And chronic stress is a proven factor. Okay. And that ongoing reality of structural racism and violence is making it even harder for our brains to deal with stress.

That accumulated stress from both institutional racism and the racism in everyday interactions, it has documented effects. Black people age faster, get sicker, and die sooner than our white peers. And chronic stress is a proven factor. Okay. And that ongoing reality of structural racism and violence is making it even harder for our brains to deal with stress.

That's exhausting. And as you were talking about it, like I even feel my body just being tight as you are speaking about these things.

That's exhausting. And as you were talking about it, like I even feel my body just being tight as you are speaking about these things.

Yeah. And check this out, Emily. There's a growing body of research that also suggests that living under racism could actually change how our genes work.

Yeah. And check this out, Emily. There's a growing body of research that also suggests that living under racism could actually change how our genes work.

On average, they found that a young Black man had a one in 1,000 chance of being killed by police, making it one of the top six causes of death for them. It ranked just behind heart disease and cancer. That's really devastating. OK. And the immediate impact of that number is clear for young Black men. But what's maybe less clear is the impact it can have on their loved ones, right?

On average, they found that a young Black man had a one in 1,000 chance of being killed by police, making it one of the top six causes of death for them. It ranked just behind heart disease and cancer. That's really devastating. OK. And the immediate impact of that number is clear for young Black men. But what's maybe less clear is the impact it can have on their loved ones, right?

Exactly. Researchers are still trying to figure out how stress, trauma and genetics fit together. But it's possible that stress can change how our genes are expressed. Now, that may sound like a small thing, but it can have huge impacts, like make you more prone to certain diseases. Like cancer, diabetes, heart failure. Exactly.

Exactly. Researchers are still trying to figure out how stress, trauma and genetics fit together. But it's possible that stress can change how our genes are expressed. Now, that may sound like a small thing, but it can have huge impacts, like make you more prone to certain diseases. Like cancer, diabetes, heart failure. Exactly.

And on top of how dealing with that in the present could be hurting your health, recent epigenetic research has also shown that things experienced by your ancestors in the past, your parents or grandparents or even great-grandparents, could also affect you.

And on top of how dealing with that in the present could be hurting your health, recent epigenetic research has also shown that things experienced by your ancestors in the past, your parents or grandparents or even great-grandparents, could also affect you.

There's no easy answer. I mean, short of ending anti-Black racism.

There's no easy answer. I mean, short of ending anti-Black racism.

Yeah, that's a huge thing that's going to take all of us. But there's still a lot that can happen on a smaller scale in the meantime. There are hospitals that are trying to fix medical discrimination against patients of color.

Yeah, that's a huge thing that's going to take all of us. But there's still a lot that can happen on a smaller scale in the meantime. There are hospitals that are trying to fix medical discrimination against patients of color.

and doctors who are trying to practice what they call culturally competent care, meaning taking into consideration how something like racism could impact their patients' health. And then there's our own families. We can try to stop passing down those scars and start to heal by talking to our parents, our elders, the generation who came before us.

and doctors who are trying to practice what they call culturally competent care, meaning taking into consideration how something like racism could impact their patients' health. And then there's our own families. We can try to stop passing down those scars and start to heal by talking to our parents, our elders, the generation who came before us.

I hope so. I reported this story for months before I learned new details about a police killing in my own family. And that's part of this series as well. I ended up learning about the silences in my own family history and dealing with the intergenerational harm that's been passed down.

I hope so. I reported this story for months before I learned new details about a police killing in my own family. And that's part of this series as well. I ended up learning about the silences in my own family history and dealing with the intergenerational harm that's been passed down.

And I think about this all the time with my own kid, Lily, because since I started reporting this project, we've been having a lot of conversations. I want you to know that we can talk about things because when we talk about things, we often feel better, right? Yes. Can we keep talking to each other while you grow up in life about stuff, even hard stuff? Like doing 100 math facts? Sure.

And I think about this all the time with my own kid, Lily, because since I started reporting this project, we've been having a lot of conversations. I want you to know that we can talk about things because when we talk about things, we often feel better, right? Yes. Can we keep talking to each other while you grow up in life about stuff, even hard stuff? Like doing 100 math facts? Sure.

That's the biggest thing in your life right now. But yes, all of that. We're just going to keep talking to each other. So can we make a promise?

That's the biggest thing in your life right now. But yes, all of that. We're just going to keep talking to each other. So can we make a promise?

All right, cool. So cute. She's the cutest. And I really want Lily to know about her history. And part of that history is painful and sad. But I also want her to stay thoughtful and curious and encourage her to keep asking questions.

All right, cool. So cute. She's the cutest. And I really want Lily to know about her history. And part of that history is painful and sad. But I also want her to stay thoughtful and curious and encourage her to keep asking questions.

The community around them, the people who are dealing with the after effects of racism and violence. Yeah. And this has been going on for a long time. Think about what Black communities went through during the lynching era. So I wanted to dig into all of that and find out what's the health impact of this kind of trauma? I talked to Aisha Lee about this.

The community around them, the people who are dealing with the after effects of racism and violence. Yeah. And this has been going on for a long time. Think about what Black communities went through during the lynching era. So I wanted to dig into all of that and find out what's the health impact of this kind of trauma? I talked to Aisha Lee about this.

She's an assistant professor at Penn State and a licensed mental health provider.

Oh, for sure. And I'm not faulting my ancestors for that. Times were different then, you know. Sometimes that's what they felt they had to do to survive and to stay safe. But over time, Aisha told me that holding her in hurts us.

So, Emily, for the past few years, I've been reporting on a small town that's been deeply shaped by this silence, Sykeston, Missouri. That reporting was the basis for a documentary and a podcast both called Silence in Sykeston.

I think Sykeston illustrates this intersection of racism and history and secret keeping and how all those things combine to affect the health of an individual and of a community.

I want to take you back to 1942, because that year, a Black man named Cleo Wright was lynched in Sykeston, Missouri.

This is Mabel Cook, or Miss Mabel as she was introduced to me. She was a teenager in Sykeston in the 1940s, and she witnessed Cleo Wright's lynching. A lot of Black families went through that same thing.

What was surprising is that this case captured national, even international attention. It was the first time a lynching ever led to a federal investigation, meaning the FBI investigated it as a crime for the first time.

But Emily, ultimately, it came to nothing. The all-white grand jury failed. was sympathetic to the mob. And with time, the story was buried, like nothing had ever happened.

Definitely, for sure. I mean, I'm a health reporter and I'm also a Black woman. So when I look at an issue, those are two of the lenses I'm looking through. Totally, yeah. I started reporting for KFF Health News in 2019. That same year, a group of researchers found that Black men in the United States are about two and a half times more likely to be killed by police than white men.

Yeah, young people don't learn about him in Sykeson schools. Older people didn't want to talk about him much either. And fast forward about 80 years, Sykeson is still dealing with racism, violence, and silence. What do you mean by that? Well, in 2020, Sykeson police killed a young Black man named Denzel Taylor.

Even though he was unarmed, the city's chief of public safety told me that officers believed Denzel had a gun and feared for their lives. The officers themselves declined to comment. Denzel's family later sued the city of Sykeston. The city and the family reached a wrongful death settlement for $2 million. Close to half of it went to legal fees.

And in the wake of these events, there was a lot of silence. Emily, multiple people asked me why I was examining the deaths of Cleo Wright and Denzel Taylor side by side. As a health reporter, I wanted to focus on the trauma that remains after the violence against these men, the possible health effects for their families and their communities.

Keisha Bentley Edwards is an associate professor in internal medicine at Duke University. She studies structural racism and chronic health conditions, and she knows a lot about what happens to a community after a lynching.

Exactly. And Keisha says part of the stress comes from being Black, being aware that you may be perceived as a threat just by being alive, just by going through your everyday life, which is a factor in Black people's health. Here's Ayesha Lee again.

That accumulated stress from both institutional racism and the racism in everyday interactions, it has documented effects. Black people age faster, get sicker, and die sooner than our white peers. And chronic stress is a proven factor. Okay. And that ongoing reality of structural racism and violence is making it even harder for our brains to deal with stress.

That's exhausting. And as you were talking about it, like I even feel my body just being tight as you are speaking about these things.

Yeah. And check this out, Emily. There's a growing body of research that also suggests that living under racism could actually change how our genes work.

On average, they found that a young Black man had a one in 1,000 chance of being killed by police, making it one of the top six causes of death for them. It ranked just behind heart disease and cancer. That's really devastating. OK. And the immediate impact of that number is clear for young Black men. But what's maybe less clear is the impact it can have on their loved ones, right?

Exactly. Researchers are still trying to figure out how stress, trauma and genetics fit together. But it's possible that stress can change how our genes are expressed. Now, that may sound like a small thing, but it can have huge impacts, like make you more prone to certain diseases. Like cancer, diabetes, heart failure. Exactly.

And on top of how dealing with that in the present could be hurting your health, recent epigenetic research has also shown that things experienced by your ancestors in the past, your parents or grandparents or even great-grandparents, could also affect you.

There's no easy answer. I mean, short of ending anti-Black racism.

Yeah, that's a huge thing that's going to take all of us. But there's still a lot that can happen on a smaller scale in the meantime. There are hospitals that are trying to fix medical discrimination against patients of color.

and doctors who are trying to practice what they call culturally competent care, meaning taking into consideration how something like racism could impact their patients' health. And then there's our own families. We can try to stop passing down those scars and start to heal by talking to our parents, our elders, the generation who came before us.

I hope so. I reported this story for months before I learned new details about a police killing in my own family. And that's part of this series as well. I ended up learning about the silences in my own family history and dealing with the intergenerational harm that's been passed down.

And I think about this all the time with my own kid, Lily, because since I started reporting this project, we've been having a lot of conversations. I want you to know that we can talk about things because when we talk about things, we often feel better, right? Yes. Can we keep talking to each other while you grow up in life about stuff, even hard stuff? Like doing 100 math facts? Sure.

That's the biggest thing in your life right now. But yes, all of that. We're just going to keep talking to each other. So can we make a promise?

All right, cool. So cute. She's the cutest. And I really want Lily to know about her history. And part of that history is painful and sad. But I also want her to stay thoughtful and curious and encourage her to keep asking questions.

The community around them, the people who are dealing with the after effects of racism and violence. Yeah. And this has been going on for a long time. Think about what Black communities went through during the lynching era. So I wanted to dig into all of that and find out what's the health impact of this kind of trauma? I talked to Aisha Lee about this.