Education, Trauma, Equity & COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about so much uncertainty. Inequities are surfacing more than ever as schools work toward transitioning to Distance Learning Programs. Our schools are facing challenges of not only servicing our students with equipment such as chrome books, but also facing challenges in communicating and connecting with our students. Feelings of anxiety, low mood, grief and fear are becoming daily emotions. The Pandemic is a Traumatic event that we ALL are experiencing at the same time but in different ways. PTSD is beginning to develop and we are faced with the question as educators on how we can prevent and or support our own sanity and regulation while being able to support others in the same moment.

Parents are faced with trying to balance work from home, being laid off and applying for unemployment. Single parent households with one income and no support are suffering emotionally and financially. Our communities are facing challenges with businesses closing down, wearing mask while out, traveling to multiple grocery stores just to find toilet paper. Not to mention the Traumatic impact the Pandemic is having on our Black and Brown students and communities on top of the Trauma prior to this event, such as Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome. Our educators are overwhelmed with taking on abnormal daily duties to assist other departments as well as not being equip with tools to observe, approach and or provide solutions in our current times.

We all are experiencing a Traumatic event and will need support through understanding what is happening, what will happen once we integrate back into school and how will we equip ourselves with Trauma and Equity trainings to help ourselves and our communities? Did we continue business as usual? Or are we taking into consideration the psychological processing that needs to take place for our students and entire staff? What supports do we have in place?

How do we address the inequities that were in existence prior to the Pandemic and inequities that have been a result of Pandemic? How do we utilize a Trauma and Equity focused lens to better assist us in identifying, acknowledging and increasing awareness of those inequities that exist? How do we provide our educators, staff members, leadership, students, parents and community with the tools we all need to dismantle systematic inequities with a Trauma Sensitive lens to make our schools and communities inclusive? How do we build connection, relationships virtually to close the gaps?

Trauma focused trainings are a PRIORITY now and when we integrate back into school. There is not ONE solution but many solutions and ways to approach our inequities through a Trauma lens which enables us to support the Whole Person. Speaking ONE language, in other words, dialogue, interactive (virtual) and face to face trainings for students, parents, community, leadership, staff and educators.

We are part of the solution as we offer Trauma, Equity and AA (African American) focused trainings, to assist in supporting the understanding of educators, staff, leadership, students, community members, and parents on how COVID-19 has forever changed how we perceived school to be. We provide applicable tools, real life case studies and opportunities for dialogue in a co-created safe space for us to exchange our lived experiences and learn with a growth mindset. We provide Professional Development and trainings from a Trauma and Equity lens to support our journeys toward a more inclusive, Equitable and Trauma Sensitive Schools and Communities. Email us today! To get ahead by gaining the tools to be more inclusive and understanding Trauma and implementing more equitable practices (contact information found above)