Increases in reports of rape and sexual violence against teenage girls, as well as record levels of their feeling hopeless or sad, led federal researchers in February to state that girls across the United States are “engulfed in a growing wave of violence and trauma”, a topic that will be explored, alongside the resilience of girls of color, on this week’s History. Culture. Trauma. podcast.
In honor of Women's History Month, host Ingrid Cockhren will discuss how adolescent girls are experiencing extreme levels of trauma and adversity, and how this is especially true for African American, Hispanic/Latina, and Indigenous girls, who have historically felt the pain of ongoing race-related microaggressions. Cockhren, PACEs Connection CEO, will be joined by cohost Mathew Portell, PACEs Connection director of education and outreach, and special guest Vernisha Crawford, CEO of Trauma Informed Institute.
“These new research findings are aligned with the recently released book ‘Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media”, said Cockhren. The book, written by PACEs Connection member, Donna Jackson Nakazawa, was featured in an interview with Nakazawa on History. Culture. Trauma. in October.
In this week’s episode, Crawford, herself a Black mother to a daughter, will discuss the lives of girls of color and the intersectionality of racism and sexism.
Based in Charlotte, NC, Crawford has personally educated some 15,000 families and working professionals about the impact of trauma. She has also helped to raise and manage over $12 million for programming that has directly served hundreds of families.
Crawford has personally shown the documentary “Resilience: The Biology of Stress & The Science of Hope” several hundred times to audiences throughout Southeast. Her work in training on trauma-informed practices and processes has increased in need across many sectors and countries worldwide.
Crawford earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of North Carolina Charlotte and a master’s degree in leadership from Grand Canyon University. She is a Certified Trauma Informed Executive Coach, Certified Health & Wellness Coach, a Master Level Certified Professional Life Coach, a Business Coach, and Scrum Master.
She is pursuing her doctorate in general psychology with a specialization in trauma and disaster relief, and says her most significant learning is motherhood. Crawford is also the founder of the BYE Foundation, 501c3 organization offering “a unique approach to systems change work by addressing equity gaps in funding, data, research, capacity building, and wellness.”
Crawford has been a guest facilitator at Davidson College, and Belmont, Vanderbilt, and Fisk universities. She has served as a member of the Early Childhood Executive Committee for Mecklenburg County, the North Carolina ACES Task Force Advisory Board, the North Carolina Juvenile Justice Behavioral Health Committee,the Charlotte Lab School Board, and Charlotte Community Board for The Gathering Spot.
In her free time, Crawford works with her passion project @DanceHerSize, a wellness program that teaches women and girls about the eight dimensions of wellness through dance and exercise.
Resources:
Comments (1)