Hi there. We recently started the ACEs Caribbean Community on the website, Aces Connection, to rally our Caribbean people and those who love the region to work together to bring the knowledge of Aces Science (Adverse Childhood Experiences), Resilience, Hope, and Truth to our regional people and government institutions.
We are facing an epidemic of crime, violence, addiction, despair, and suicide throughout the region and we believe that a better understanding of the connection between what we have normalised as "life" but the science tells us is childhood trauma can help our region move towards a better future.
As we gradually come out of the Covid-19 lockdowns, the concern is that these aforementioned social ills will be eclipsed by other challenges in years to come which were triggered or exacerbated by the fear messaging around the disease, loss of employment and the family abuse encountered during the State imposed lockdowns. These include health, mobility, and NCD issues, coping-related addictions, and so much more.
Why create a Caribbean Community? Well, research tells us that people from the Caribbean respond to ACEs and trauma differently to others from outside the region due to our internal complexities, and history. There is also a need to encourage Caribbean universities to conduct more research so we can understand our challenges and target solutions to those challenges from our individual context which is not synonymous with those of North America or Europe.
Our intention is to network those who work on all sides of these issues towards the implementation of a regional solution. Through this ACEs Caribbean Community we shall:
(1) build a community of members by engaging interested persons (parents, social workers, trauma survivors, clinicians, healthcare, public health, education, law, law enforcement, corrections, government, and non-profit stakeholders are all welcome) from the Caribbean region and Diaspora;
(2) train and equip them by tapping into the regional and global bank of experts with lived experience and academic qualifications, using virtual platforms to host and share opportunities for Free Webinars, Experts and Speakers interviews, online self-paced courses, and regional collaboration space;
(3) develop a pool of resources related to ACEs, Resilience, and Hope for diverse audiences (e.g. those in the education, justice, government fields) and collate data based on research done in the Caribbean or with Caribbean respondents;
(4) leverage the benefits of the Internet and regional structures such as CARICOM to Inform key sector leaders of the science and recommend targeted and detailed solutions which can be implemented at the community level as well as policy level, beginning with local and community leaders, then national leaders and the CARICOM Secretariat;
(5) establish, nurture and grow community-based initiatives to instil Hope and Healing in our region, one life at a time, one family at a time, one school at a time, and one nation at a time. By working in tandem, we will simultaneously and synergistically empower members from each Caribbean territory so that no one is left behind.
So if you love a challenge, please join the ACEs Caribbean Community. There is much work ahead but we have a heart to work and a love for our region!
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