On the latest episode of Basic Black, host Callie Crossley is joined by four experts to look at racial generational trauma and how issues are passed down from one generation to the next. The result can have far-reaching implications, such as affecting one’s health, livelihood, and relationships. What can be done to recognize, address and combat it?
Joining the panel discussion are guests Gary Bailey, DHL, MSW, ACSW, from the Simmons University School of Social Work; Charles Daniels Jr., Ph.D., therapist and CEO of Father’s Uplift; C. Shawn McGuffey, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of African & African Diaspora Studies at Boston College; and Kim McLarin, Associate Professor & Graduate Program Director for the Department of Writing, Literature & Publishing at Emerson College.
Crossley begins the show with a conversation about where trauma comes from, and the many forms that generational trauma can take. McLarin shares her experience working with young people of color, including her own students at Emerson College. Describing the many ways generational trauma can manifest itself, she says, "It’s like a sore that never heals and so it’s being constantly picked at.”
Watch: McLarin on how generational trauma manifests itself among young people of color
Asked if there is a path or mechanism for stopping generational trauma from being passed on to subsequent generations, Daniels advocates for having a mentor — in his case, Dr. Gary Bailey, Professor of Practice and Assistant Dean for Community Engagement and Social Justice while he was a student at Simmons University — and the many benefits of being part of a community. “As Black men and women, sometimes we are so paralyzed by racism that we don’t know that we need community," Daniels says. "I think it is our responsibility…to embrace that community.”
Watch: Daniels on the power of mentorship and community
Watch the full episode of Basic Black here.
