Cara Anthony

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.