Designing A Life Of Happiness For Black Women

A woman in formal attire giving a presentation on a stage with a large screen behind her displaying information about burnout, in a theater or conference hall filled with an audience.

Informed by personal experiences of overextension and burnout, I presented an anecdotal narrative exploring the psychosomatic impact of the “Strong Black Woman” schema. This work emphasizes themes of suffering, burnout, self-care, and support, while encouraging a reexamination of how strength is defined within marginalized populations.

A woman sitting on a stage in front of a large TEDx sign with colored curtains behind her.

“I never asked to be strong; it was something expected, almost demanded of me based on the intersection of my race and gender”