GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Brandon Davis has had enough of the traumatizing news surrounding communities of color in recent months.
"Its horrific. Its triggering. Its infuriating, to say the least," says Davis, director of the Grand Rapids Office of Oversight and Public Accountability.
That's why he helped to moderate a panel on processing trauma along with the Grand Rapids Office of Equity and Engagement.
"We hope that through hearing from our mental health experts, you're able to share what you learn with others as well," he says.
The panel featured five mental health experts, including counselor Kerby Killingham, who discussed how trauma is created when different races go through different experiences for the same result.
"We all have made it to a somewhat sustainable and comfortable lifestyle but if I asked everyone here we would all probably have a story to tell about the things we had to overcome," says Killingham. "So even though we overcame it, compared to some of our white counterparts we probably had to work three times as hard to get there. That's traumatizing by itself."
Multicultural therapist Samuel Jones says a big part to overcoming trauma in the community is by reaching out to others, no matter how big or small the gesture.
"Don't be afraid of just influencing your child, your spouse, your friend, your neighbor," says Jones. "Maybe that's the only thing you'll ever do, the only thing you'll ever change after you've internally focused on yourself. And that's okay."
In the end, therapist Loanna Abreu encourages everyone to not be afraid to seek help, because you aren't alone.
"More than likely you're not the only person feeling the way you're feeling," says Abreu. "Its just that everyone thinks I'm the only one feeling this way, so I don't want to make everyone else uncomfortable so I'll just stay quiet."
The event was part of the Grand Rapids strategic plan to address systemic racism within the city.
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