I was so proud to be a part of the New York Trauma-Informed Coalition’s virtual rally on April 30th, in honor of ACEs Awareness and National Trauma-Survivors Day. In an effort to cultivate networking amid a common goal and having just attended an impressive virtual rally for HALTsolitary, Teena Brooks guided our coalition to organize this successful event in only a little more than two weeks!
Throughout six Zoom brainstorming meetings, we designed an invitation:
,formulated a list of desired presenters, developed an interactive activity ( event participants were asked to create their own rally signs to hold up to the camera and to type, in the chat room, a word describing how they felt at the moment, some of which were read aloud by the host), chose a video by Deborah Faust of Mental Health Association in NYS to lead the first hour into the second, and decided who would MC the entire event. Each speaker was asked, beforehand, to address the following three questions in their presentation:
1) How are you working to address trauma?
2) What resources are needed?
3) How can I get involved?
The MC, Sean Brennan of Brain Food Garden Project, expertly guided the two-plus hours and, at its peak, an audience of 237 by, among other techniques, introducing each presenter with a personal tribute and then, briefly, reflecting back on their message after they had finished. I found all 14 speakers to be impactful and inspiring and felt in awe of the dedication and commitment that they bring to their work.
A highlight of the rally for me were the opening remarks by NY State Assemblyman, Andrew Hevesi, who passionately described his work on a proposed Constitutional amendment to the NY Constitution that would mandate that all state and state subdivision programs be trauma-informed. I also, especially, appreciated the metaphors relayed by Dan Press of Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice, as he likened addressing ACEs to vaccinating against a physical illness, and Naomi Jaffe of the Prisoner Justice Coalition’s personal account of navigating the challenges of the justice system through a loved-one’s incarceration.
After the event, we agreed that our coalition’s future projects would be made richer by including more persons with lived experience and culturally diverse backgrounds as presenters. That said, and with a compilation of resources from the rally still to come, I gained so much valuable knowledge and encouragement from this convening. As Peyton Barsel, soon to be of Columbia University, wrapped up the rally by extolling that if she, a high school senior, could become an advocate for trauma-informed solutions, anyone can!
Kira Labinger, Peer Specialist, NYC
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