Trauma is defined as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. As human beings, we have all gone through traumatic events: it could be a divorce, an accident, the loss of a spouse, child, friend or parent. It could also be a violent assault. CAMCH defines trauma as a term used to describe the challenging emotional consequences that living through a distressing event can have for an individual. Traumatic events can be different for each of us. We can both go through the same set of events and be traumatized differently.
When I was younger, I had atopic dermatitis and I suffered from the taunts of my peers. Much of which I internalised. Junior secondary experience for me was a nightmare but that experience moulded and helped to define my ideas of beauty even now.
Date: 24th July
Time: 2pm
When I was in university in Nigeria, I was stopped by the Nigerian Police. The reason was that the J5 bus I was driving – I was selling water for my dad – had a television set. The television set was for our family. The police assumed it was stolen as I did not have a receipt for it. I spent the day at the Police Station. It took the intervention of a top military friend to get me, the J5 bus and about 100 bags of ‘pure’ water home safely. That singular incident affected me in so many ways at the time. Now, I can laugh about it. But, it left an emotional scar.
This workshop will help to deconstruct what trauma is, help identity it and eqip our kids with tools they can used before trauma cripples them.
The Masterclass provides a safe place for our children to open up about experiences of microaggressions and racism. Here are is why you need to sign up your kids. Racism is real. It is not some imagined nonsense from lazy minds. It can leave scars. And wounds. Here are some examples of what black children deal with in their classrooms and in the play grounds of their schools.
When you are called a ‘chimpanzee’ or an orangutan by your friends at school and the teacher never sees it happen. Here are some uncomfortable examples.
When your sandwich is ridiculed at school.
When your teachers set low expectations for your kids.
When your kids spend more time in the school corridors or in the restroom than in class actually learning.
When your child does not want to go to school.
When your child wants to have a light skin.
When your child stops talking.
When your child stays in their room every day after school.
We all have children in the school system, so the job is to support them. This is one way we have chosen to engage. Will you register your kids?
Alafia Canada are an inclusive mental health consultants who use decolonizing, intersectional justice and cultural responsive lens to inspire community lens.
The free Master Class is part of a six month collaboration between LCCMedia Foundation and Alafia Canada. The next one is August 28th.
