As we reflect on the recent mass shootings, we mourn the devastating, senseless losses of beautiful humans. We bear witness to and honor the deep pain of the survivors, the loved ones of people who have been stolen, and the communities impacted by secondary trauma. We refuse to allow these events to be normalized, ignored, or minimized.
The first and secondhand stress from traumatic events does not go away overnight. These events have generational, cross-cultural traumatic impacts that damage communities’ health, success, and dreams. The racism at the root of recent mass violent events must be acknowledged, and communities must be given long-term resources to heal.
Many of us now fear for our lives as we go to the grocery store, place of worship, or community gathering, because of our race, ethnicity, religion, and other identities. If that describes you, our hearts break with you, too. We will continue to spread love, healing, and truth and fight for trauma-informed change.
Resources from the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress: