May 2022

I have a dream that in the future, anytime we hold events, public forums, work on policies, and/or build change, the people experiencing the issues we are trying to solve, will be driving forces at the table. This idea is not new, but for some reason it seems difficult to actualize. We are a long way from arrival. There is a phrase that I have loved that guides this thinking, "Those closest to the pain, should be closest to the power." This is not just an equity issue, but rather a human...

By Shakima L. Tozay, (first published @ Govloop.com) Are you emotionally and physically exhausted? Do you no longer feel a sense of personal accomplishment in your work? Have you become more disconnected from your co-worker? Over the last 2 years, the emotional impacts of the pandemic and the exodus of workers in what has been called the Great Reshuffle, has taken a major toll on many leaders. Last year, nearly 48 million U.S. workers left their jobs. Additionally, the “hidden...

By Eric Easter, Photo: Julia Pickett, The Washington Post, May 17, 2022 Garlin Gilchrist, 39, a self-described technocrat, is the lieutenant governor of Michigan. He lives with his wife and twins in Detroit. I remember meeting you a dozen or so years ago at a tech conference as a young engineer talking about writing code. Next thing I hear you’re running for office and then lieutenant governor of Michigan. How do you make sense of that path? Technology and community involvement were...

By Rupert Neate, Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images, The Guardian, May 22, 2022 A group of millionaires have joined protests against the World Economic Forum gathering of the business and political elite in Davos , Switzerland, demanding that governments “tax us now” to tackle the burgeoning gulf between rich and poor. The unlikely protesters, who describe themselves as “patriotic millionaires” , called on world leaders attending the annual conference on Sunday to immediately introduce...

By Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Photo: Mark Humphrey/Associated Press, The Washington Post, May 22, 2022 Leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention on Sunday released a major third-party investigation that found that sex abuse survivors were often ignored, minimized and “even vilified” by top clergy in the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. The findings of nearly 300 pages include shocking new details about specific abuse cases and shine a light on how denominational leaders for decades...

By Michael Harriot, Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images, May 22, 2022 Less than an hour after the city of Buffalo, New York, took a 123-second pause on Saturday to memorialize the victims of the terrorist attack that shook the city a week ago, June Bloomfield held her own moment of silence. Standing outside the Tops Market, the only grocery store in the area, where white supremacy stole the lives of 10 people, Bloomfield’s tears were obscured by sunglasses, a mask and her quiet resolve. “It’s...

“Healing is never complete until we have been truly heard. May the universe send you someone who will sincerely care to listen.” - Anthon St. Maarten “You're not a victim for sharing your story. You are a survivor setting the world on fire with your truth. And you never know who needs your light, your warmth and raging courage.” - Alex Elle “ To know the true reality of yourself, you must be aware not only of your conscious thoughts, but also of your unconscious prejudices, bias and habits.”...

Here are four excerpts that caught my eye from the Family Connection and Flourishing Among Adolescents in 26 Countries Study. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/doi/10.1542/peds.2021-055263/188014/Family-Connection-and-Flourishing-Among Several studies have shown that childhood family connection is associated with flourishing in adulthood. We have shown that this association is also present across levels of adverse childhood experiences and childhood socioeconomic position… This...

On May 19, 2022, PACEs Connection hosted the sixth event in our Historical Trauma in America series . The event was facilitated by PACEs Connection staff members Ingrid Cockhren (chief executive officer) and Donielle Prince (director of state initiatives and community organizing). Click here to download the slide deck from this presentation. Then click “download file.” Click here to download resources from this presentation. Then click “download file.” The series examines the impact of...

It's mental health month. I've been checking out what lessons we can carry forward from last year. Trauma is a growing field here in Kenya. I feel like more people are becoming aware that it's not all in our minds. We have been hurt by the system, government, and society. Part of this hurt comes from being in a dysfunctional system starting from the home and immediate family. Which then trickles to the different regions and countrywide. This dysfunction I speak of is because of living in...

Despite the growing recognition that ACEs screening of parents of young children is valuable, only a small number of pediatricians routinely screen parents. The Idaho ACEs Learning Collaborative is seeking to connect with people who are screening parents or interested in this topic.

By Damien Cave, Photo: Stephanie Simcox/The New York Times, May 19, 2022 On a cool morning at 5:50 a.m., Allegra Spender prepared to dive into the surf alongside dozens of ocean swimmers at Bondi Beach. She was there not just for exercise. She was there to meet voters. Her name was all over volunteers’ teal T-shirts and swim caps, identifying her as an independent candidate for the Australian federal Parliament. “Takes a lot of courage, what you’re doing,” said Jason Carr, 50, a security...