Coping Strategies Among a Black Community Facing Police Violence: Qualitative Findings from a Community-Engaged Project

• In Event: Critical Perspectives on Race and Racism

Abstract

This paper presents qualitative findings from a community-engaged study in a predominantly Black Midwestern city examining how policing affects the African American community. Collaborating with Black community organizations and a police oversight board, our interdisciplinary team used an intersectional framework to analyze observations from four public events focused on policing's health impacts. Our analysis revealed "Coping Strategies" as the primary finding, with participants discussing healing despite the study's trauma focus. Community members described teaching youth how to behave during police encounters as protective tactics, while some avoided police brutality content on social media or disengaged from exhausting conversations. The first subtheme, "Black Community Adaptation," highlighted how participants used artistic expression (spoken word, rap, painting) as cathartic outlets and storytelling to raise awareness. Community members created memorials through art, emphasized supporting local organizations and engaged in religious/spiritual practices for well-being. While some noted tendencies toward emotional suppression, others discussed therapeutic interventions like CBT and EMDR.
The second subtheme, "Black Resilience," documented the community's capacity to move beyond survival toward thriving despite trauma. Participants defined "advocacy" in personally meaningful ways and were encouraged to engage politically through voting while exploring various activism forms.

Authors

• Robert L. Peralta, The University of Akron

• Auriel Jasper-Morris, The University of Akron

• Daniela Jauk-Ajamie, The University of Akron

• Juan Xi, The University of Akron

• Sanaullah Khan, The University of Akron

• Xiaoshuang Iris Luo, University of Akron

• Larry Payne, The University of Akron