Tagged With "African American"
Blog Post
5th Annual Arizona ACEs Summit
The Arizona ACEs Consortium and the Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family put on a wonderful event yesterday! Arizona's First Lady, Angela Ducey, delivered a poignant speech about the importance of recognizing ACEs within the Foster Care System, based on personal experience with her nephew. She was authentic in her love of children and concern for their well-being. It was especially wonderful to hear that she is so knowledgeable about ACES!!! The Governor's address also expressed...
Blog Post
5th Annual Arizona ACEs Summit, Tuesday, December 11th, 2018
5th Annual Arizona ACEs Summit: Becoming a Trauma Informed State - Overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences to Create a Healthier Arizona "Adverse childhood experiences can negatively impact a child's life well into adulthood - through identification and assessment, we can develop intervention strategies - creating happier communities for current and future generations of Arizonans. These efforts will move us closer to becoming a trauma-informed state, and help solidify Arizona as the number...
Blog Post
Becoming Native American: Elder Wisdom and Carl Jung's Perspective
During the last 10 minutes of the Historical Trauma break-out session of the 5th Annual Arizona ACEs Summit, Elder Prosper Waukon reiterated a magnificent story from the elders. It was the 2nd time I heard it and I was equally impacted by it on Tuesday. Today, I called him to hear it one last time so that I could accurately share it with all of you: Our essence is tied to our land of origin. In the Americas, after 500 years of blood from foreign lands mixing in the soil, all ethnic...
Blog Post
Celebrating Native American Heritage Month- Flagstaff
Holly Figueroa and Steward Health Choice Arizona Cultural Competency & Tribal Services hosted an amazing conference and Native American celebration on November 16 in Flagstaff!! The program opened with prayers by Uqualla, a dynamic Medicine Man from the Havasupai Tribe. We heard from several keynote speakers on topics designed to facilitate healing among Native American communities. Albert Pooley of the Hopi and Navajo Native American cultures emphasized the importance of loving the...
Blog Post
Do you live in Arizona, Hawaii, California, Nevada or the US Pacific Islands? Come to our no-cost mental and school mental health Winter Institute!
Do you live in Arizona, Hawaii, California, Nevada or the US Pacific Islands?If so...Check it out! 👇 NO COST. MENTAL HEALTH & SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE. AMAZING FACULTY. JANUARY 14, 15, & 16th! LONG BEACH, CA. JOIN US. 🤝 👏 Learn more here: http://bit.ly/mhttc-winterinstitute-flyer Register here: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07egq2f9gaebafa6bd&llr=8wdk4ubab
Blog Post
First Canadian/American Collaboration to Heal Historical Trauma- 1st Entry
After attending the amazing and informative Calling Upon the Warrior Spirit to Heal Historical Trauma Conference and Ceremony in the Gila River Indian Community, I was introduced to the Roundtable on Native American Trauma Informed Initiatives. This organization is a great collaboration of elders, educators, attorneys, clinicians and advocates working to heal Historical Trauma and improve the lives of people in Indian Country. Elder Prosper Waukon connected our organization with Renee...
Blog Post
Historical Trauma in France- The Death of Another Beautiful Young Man
I am saddened to hear about the death of another Arab young man in Marseilles, France. The reason I started this virtual community was to share stories and shed light. Let's travel to France.... After our time at the Ashram in India, my then 8-year-old son was insistent that we move to China. I had absolutely no intention of going to China. In his few short years he had become an avid martial artist and was determined to study Kung Fu in the Shaolin Temple. My limited adult mind thought it...
Blog Post
Historical Trauma Zoom Meeting- May 23, 2019
Dear Healers/Warriors, Thank you to everyone who participated in today's meeting! I deeply apologize to everyone who wanted to attend, but was unable due to the scheduled time. I felt like it was really important to get the momentum rolling. We have so much to do! With that said, it is NOT TOO LATE to join the movement. We welcome you! Meeting Agenda: 1. Substance Abuse Curriculum- The group will be reading the 7 Module curriculum designed by the AZ ACES Consortium Executive Board in...
Blog Post
How Racism May Cause Black Mothers To Suffer The Death Of Their Infants [npr.org]
This is SO crazy to me in 2018! They really have no definitive answers as to why more Black babies die in the United States as compared to White babies. The part that is particularly mind-blowing to me is that the issue is NOT consistent with babies born in the United States from African immigrant mothers. I am quickly reminded of the Black woman's history in this country due to the Slave Trade atrocities. It is well known and documented that it was not uncommon for enslaved Black women to...
Blog Post
Learning About When African-Americans Only Counted as 3/5 of a Person......While Being the ONLY African-American in the Class
The topic of discussion in my son's Social Studies class had to do with creating the Constitution. In moving from the Articles of Confederation to the United States Constitution, the Northerners and Southerners had to come to an agreement on many topics. The 3/5 Compromise satisfied both parties: It stated that 5 enslaved people would be counted as the equivalent to 3 white people. This is a part of American history. I just wonder how it feels to be the only African-American in the class...
Blog Post
Nonviolence from India to Arizona- Arizona State Oratorical Champion
The level of aggression I witnessed while living in an Ashram in India was shocking and often funny! With my residual ACES anger often bubbling beneath my skin, my daily mantra became, "No matter what anyone does to you; you CANNOT, WILL NOT fight in an Ashram!" We don't realize that many spiritual communities are filled with ACES survivors from all over the world that have no other hope left for healing. These are courageous people who have sought help for their pain and anger and have...
Blog Post
Structural Oppression is Trauma: Resources from the Resilient Sacramento Best Practices Presentation
Our June meeting focused on best practices in broadening the trauma lens to include structural oppression. Key resources attached.
Blog Post
The Sacredness of Fatherhood
In my culture, I was bestowed the title of Holy Mother . In traditional ceremony, my divined name is Mother of the Universe . I am a proud and powerful Mama, Big Mommy, Mommy and Mother. But, I need to talk about fathers. My Precious Little Daughter, was frequently the opening line to emails sent to me by my dad. Over a year ago my father, an African Medicine Man, realized that he only had a short time to live. He was desperate to get to my oldest son to perform ritual before joining the...
Blog Post
2018 ACES Conference- Historical Trauma: The Symphony of Traditional Medicine and Western Medicine to Heal ACES and Historical Trauma
We are RESILIENT! Once we learn to regulate an overactive stress response, ACES survivors are well experienced to work under stress, make sound decisions and overcome ANY and ALL obstacles. WE LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY!! We must learn to mitigate the harm and leverage our strengths! During the 2018 ACES Conference in San Francisco, I had the incredible opportunity to present my work on Historical Trauma. In our journey to healing Historical Trauma and ACES, we must use a Relational Approach...
Blog Post
Your Nutrition Advice Won't Help if It's Not Culturally Sensitive {Self.com}
My previous life was devoted to physical health and wellness. Thorughout my lifetime, I have researched numerous diets and a plethora of nutrition information. The most profound work I found was in the 1980's when I was a teenager and seeing a nutritionist, Dr. H.L. Newbold. Dr. Newbold was a huge supporter of the fact that a person's diet should reflect their ancestry. In other words, if you are a descendant of Jamaica, for example, your diet should consist heavily of fresh fruits, nuts,...
Blog Post
My First Loss to COVID-19; Remembering an Indigenous Elder with Love
Alongside two elders and a colleague, we arrived at the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health in Toronto, Canada. Our intention was to facilitate the first Canadian/American collaboration to heal Historical Trauma. I vacillated between feeling immensely excited and powerfully emotional; what an honor to be a black woman surrounded by First Nation relatives on Native land. Our first great work was to enter the sacred ceremonial space for prayer and cleansing. As a tribal African woman, I...
Blog Post
Does Your Organization Unconsciously Operate with a White Supremacy Culture? 4 White Supremacy Culture Scenarios
As we endure the pain of lost loved ones, manage the anxiety of financial insecurity and potentially fret over becoming ill, it is a brilliant time for change in our country and around the world. There is a special kind of racist exclusion in America. When I took my young son to live in India, initially, he struggled everyday on the bus to school. There was a lot of hazing and bullying from older students. I remember him begging me to please take him to school in a rickshaw so that he didn’t...
Blog Post
Loss of Cultural Identity Part 1; HUGE Number of Blacks in America Carry Slave Names
Over the next few days, I am going to provide a little food for thought about the loss of cultural identity that has profoundly impacted Africans across the Diaspora. Remember that the descendants of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade that live off of the Continent, are perhaps the only collective in the world that does not know their origin. We are African, but Africa is a continent of fifty-two countries with thousands of different cultures and dialects. Today’s micro-discussion is on names.
Blog Post
Loss of Cultural Identity Part 2; Illegal to Practice Traditional Religion in Benin Republic, West Africa until 1992
Over the next few days, I am going to provide a little food for thought about the loss of cultural identity that has profoundly impacted Africans across the Diaspora. Remember that the descendants of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade that live off of the Continent, are perhaps the only collective in the world that does not know their origin. We are African, but Africa is a continent of fifty-four countries with thousands of different cultures and dialects. Today’s micro-discussion is on...
Blog Post
The Roll Out of LEVEL 2- Historical Trauma Specialist Certification
LEVEL 2 HISTORICAL TRAUMA SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION MARCH 2022!!! The wait is finally over! Iya Affo and Heal Historical Trauma will present: Historical Trauma Specialist Certification- LEVEL 2: A Neurological, Environmental & Cultural Perspective on March 1st & 2nd 2022. LEVEL 2 will cover the following: Neurological implications of Historical Trauma and how to align neurobiology with desired behavioral outcomes. Indigenous Attachment Theory Understanding the injurious relationship...
Blog Post
Historical Trauma Specialist Certification Level-1
HEAL HISTORICAL TRAUMA & Iya Affo PRESENT: The Historical Trauma Specialist Certification- Level 1 is a comprehensive understanding of Historical Trauma from a multicultural lens. The training is designed for participants serving, leading, advocating and working with people of color. It is the perfect training for people in a variety of disciplines as well as multicultural families and for anyone with the desire to understand the impact of slavery, genocide and colonization. The course...
Blog Post
The Launch of Heal Trauma Global: Culturally Attuned Trauma Training
Being Trauma-Informed means that we are Culturally Attuned. Heal Trauma Global is a sister company to Heal Historical Trauma and was cultivated to fill a wide gap in stress science & trauma training. The trauma-informed movement is beautiful! It's wonderful that as a society we are moving in a direction that honors an individual's past as part of the driving force behind current behaviors. Yet, time and time again, I have attended trainings that are labeled as Trauma-Informed only to...
Blog Post
Black History Month 2K22- NEW Trainings!
In Honor of Black History Month 2k22 Please Enjoy the Following NEW Trainings: Facilitating a Full Expression of Resilience: BIPOC are resilient. In learning how trauma is formed and passed from one generation to the next in our communities, we will understand how to facilitate a full expression of resilience in vulnerable communities. This course takes a deep dive into the reality of flight or fight mode and how many people enduring oppression, discrimination and hate live with a constant...
Blog Post
Our Ancestors Knew; African American Journey of Historical Trauma
Standing on top of Ogun Mountain, in the Sacred City of 41 Mountains, West Africa, I knew my life would forever change. The women from the royal house danced for me. The men drummed me into a trance. They called me by my African name as they welcomed me home. On the soil of my ancestors, the healing began. I am a black woman born in the 1970’s. Nine generations ago, my ancestors were on the continent of Africa inhabiting the Kingdom of Dahomey. We were thriving. Unbeknownst to most, we were...
Blog Post
48-Hour Historical Trauma Specialist Certification Program- COHORT 1 & 2
NOT TOO LATE FOR COHORT 1!! Also registering for COHORT 2!! New!! 48-HOUR HISTORICAL TRAUMA SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION in collaboration with THE INTERNATIONAL HISTORICAL TRAUMA ASSOCIATION We are the only entity offering a comprehensive, 48-hour Historical Trauma Specialist Certification Program. The Program is broken into 6 levels and is built on a foundation of BIPOC cultures and neurobiology. It is taught from a multicultural perspective, injecting traditions and ideology from various...
Blog Post
48-Hour Historical Trauma Specialist Certification Program- COHORT 1 & 2
New!! 48-HOUR HISTORICAL TRAUMA SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION in collaboration with THE INTERNATIONAL HISTORICAL TRAUMA ASSOCIATION We are the only entity offering a comprehensive, 48-hour Historical Trauma Specialist Certification Program. The Program is broken into 6 levels and is built on a foundation of BIPOC cultures and neurobiology. It is taught from a multicultural perspective, injecting traditions and ideology from various cultures from around the world. In this inclusive study we rely...
Blog Post
48-Hour Historical Trauma Specialist Certification Program
We are the only entity offering a comprehensive, 48-hour Historical Trauma Specialist Certification Program. The Program is broken into 6 levels and is built on a foundation of BIPOC cultures and neurobiology. It is taught from a multicultural perspective, injecting traditions and ideology from various cultures from around the world. In this inclusive study we rely on the ancient tradition of storytelling, visual art and interconnected relationships to intentionally explore difficult topics.
Blog Post
Mental Health Professionals' Experiences of Vicarious Traumatization in Post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans
Mental Health Professionals are continuously working with individuals who have several traumatic events that may have occurred in their lives. A perfect example would be the disastrous event of Hurricane Katrina that occurred in New Orleans, Louisiana. There were several Mental Health Professionals who worked numerous amounts of hours to assist these individuals in healing post-Katrina. These Mental Health Professionals also began to encounter negative mental health problems from counseling...
Blog Post
Returning Children to School Following the Holiday Season
Some may recall the struggle of getting adjusted to the busy schedule of being a parent and returning your child back to school following the holiday season. I have completed a review that will allow both children and families to have a much more successful transition back into the workplace and classroom setting. Here are a few tips that will make the transition more smoother. 1. Ensure to keep a consistent bedtime schedule. While this may be difficult, it is important to stick as close as...
Blog Post
Model Minority Myth
The Model Minority Myth is a model that stems from various false beliefs about the Asian American culture. This term debunks the fact that Asian Americans are the thriving force within America culture, both in society and the workforce. These stereotypes coincide with the belief that Asian Americans are “the smartest” culture in industries of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The terms reveal that this culture is the leading force, and trumps other cultures. It is a...
Blog Post
Black in Anthropology
There is a famous quote that comes to mind when we speak of Anthropology in Black. “One must speak for one’s self if they wish to be heard.” I had the opportunity to review an article by Lynn Bolles, a famous African American anthropologist, who based her research on African American women and their accomplishments and career goals. In the words of John Gwaltney (1981) ,“telling the story straight” is an inspirational quote for many African American women who have made amazing strides in...
Blog Post
Artificial Intelligence in the African American Community
Artificial Intelligence is one of the fastest growing sectors that is growing within the career industry. Specifically within the African American community, and the career industries of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This particular sector is becoming more and more visible in our daily lives, and will continue to provide future growth in various industrial and commercial industries. AI is an uprising technology tool that provides essential measures for African Americans...