ASSOCIATED PRESS — Many Black Americans are facing a collective sense of grief and trauma that has grown more profound with the loss of each life at the hands of police in America.

Some see themselves and their children reflected in the victims of police violence, heightening their grief. Their collective mourning is a great concern to experts and medical professionals who consider the intersectionality of racism and various forms of trauma impacting communities of color a serious public health crisis facing America.

Experts say the unique racial trauma impacting Black Americans isn’t new. It’s built upon centuries of oppressive systems and racist practices that are deeply embedded within the fabric of the nation.