People’s response to the great chasms of structural inequities glaringly laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic have been further inflamed by the murder of George Floyd and deaths of other African Americans in recent weeks. The acute emergency of the pandemic has eased, but the violence inflicted on racial minorities and now those who are protesting the inequities in our society has compounded the outrage. Right after the pandemic began running riot across the US, I often heard people ask: When...

My Story People say all the time that you don’t have to let your past, family or your childhood define who you are. I don’t believe that is necessarily a bad thing. I let my childhood define who I am by defying the odds. It was expected that when I grew up, I would be a teenage mother living in the trailer park. But that wasn’t the life for me. I am successful. Not because I am rich, but because I am not a stereotype. I rose above my circumstances and made my life the best it could be.For me...

By Katie Gagliano, Staff Writer, The Advocate - April 8, 2020 Advocates for survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and child abuse are raising the alarm in Acadiana communities that the coronavirus pandemic may put survivors at greater risk while home with their abusers for extended periods — and that help is available, virus or no virus. When Gov. John Bel Edwards announced a state stay-at-home order March 23, Faith House of Acadiana executive director Billi Lacombe said she...

Jarvis DeBerry, columnist, Nola.com - APR 6, 2019 About two months ago, a 16-year-old high-school senior sat at a computer to find out for herself why her father is at the Louisiana State Penitentiary and how long he’ll be gone. Sun’Shyne Mathieu was 6 months old the last time her daddy was free. Her whole life she’s asked her family when he was coming home. Her whole life they’ve said, “Soon.” “I never knew why, I never knew what, I just knew where,” that is, where her father is, Sun’Shyne...

From www.rwjf.org “Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty, discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care.” What Is Health Equity? And What Difference Does a Definition Make? Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2017 COVID-19 has unleashed a dual threat...

by Rachel Miller , VICE.com, May 28 2020, 7:25pm. Friends, I don’t need to tell you that it’s been an especially hard few weeks for Black people in the United States. Breonna Taylor . Ahmaud Arbery . Chris Cooper . George Floyd . Tear-gassing the protesters who had the gall to be upset about a racist murder . All of this, during a time when Black people are disproportionately dying from the COVID-19 pandemic . It’s exhausting. Amid all this suffering, it can be hard to believe Audre Lorde...

By The Daily, The New York Times, May 20, 2020 Some have called the pandemic “the great equalizer.” But the coronavirus is killing black Americans at staggeringly higher rates than white Americans. Today, we explore why. Guest: Linda Villarosa, a writer for The New York Times Magazine covering racial health disparities, who spoke to Nicole Charles in New Orleans, La. about the death of her husband, Cornell Charles, known as Dickey. He was 51. For more information on today’s episode, visit...

By Latanya West, San Diego Voice, May 15, 2020 In January 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Dr. Nadine Burke Harris as California’s first-ever Surgeon General. An award-winning physician, researcher and advocate, Dr. Burke Harris’ career has been dedicated to serving vulnerable communities and combating the root causes of health disparities. Her work is equally dedicated to changing the way our society responds to one of the most serious, expensive and widespread public health crises of...

The Hampton Roads Trauma-Informed Community Network (HRTICN) is one of over 20+ community networks championing resilience in their community during this time. These networks raise awareness, conduct trainings, create and implement trauma-informed practices across an array of sectors, including schools, faith communities, courts, community services, and more. Audravette Jackson serves as the Hampton Roads Trauma-Informed Community Network coordinator, and the Children’s Hospital of King’s...

Click here for details or download the attached flyer. https://www.eventbrite.com/x/building-resilient-students-in-a-pandemic-and-ti-special-education-programs-tickets-104769793272

From ACEs Aware, May 13, 2020 This webinar will focus on building understanding and identifying primary care and telehealth strategies and tools to address the secondary health effects of the COVID-19 emergency. Widespread stress and anxiety regarding COVID-19, compounded by the economic distress due to lost wages, employment and financial assets; mass school closures; and necessary physical distancing measures can result in an increase of stress-related health conditions. These secondary...

When a pandemic hits, and suddenly nothing is the same, it’s a sobering opportunity to take a deep breath and to take stock. At Center for Child Counseling, we specialize in childhood trauma and Fighting ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and we'll keep doing what we so best...