“Legacy” by SINBoundaries ARTWORK .
My career began at the age of 13 when I entered the juvenile justice system. I entered the system because of my school attendance. At that time if I remember correctly, if you missed 30 in a school year you ultimately got probation, entering the criminal justice system. I’m talking about middle school and high school-aged youth here.
Well, I missed more than that. I went through the PINS and probation, entered family court, and ultimately got sentenced to a year in residential at St. Joseph’s Villa, now known as Villa of Hope. There were some interventions, but to be honest, I can’t remember any of them because they were tailored and tied to an unrealistic goal that did not fit our family or circumstances.
During the court process, though, I do remember the times that I felt shamed and embarrassed, judged, and misunderstood most of all. I felt that for my mother, I felt that for my family and even my community as a whole.
This, I will call Non trauma informed care.
One of my most pressing memories is when the judge required my mother to write her a letter apologizing for what I was wearing. I was wearing a shirt that said “sexy,” and the judge took offense and blamed my mother for it. Stating that she is the mother and should be more concerned and responsible for what I wear.
What the judge did not consider was that as single mother of three, living off DSS and SSI alone, we had no pennies to spare to buy new clothes. And THAT shirt was actually a hand me down from an acquaintance of my mother’s, who had daughters a couple years older, that no longer fit those clothes. What she also didn’t know was that our household did not have a washing machine or dryer. And, that shirt was the only shirt I practically had clean at the time.
In a culture and environment in which you are trained to distrust law enforcement. That moment of shame on my mother stirred up firsthand negative emotions within me against the system.
Now, as a trauma informed professional, I know there are many ways in which my case could have ended differently. In my perspective, it clearly highlights the importance of being culturally responsible and trauma informed at the very least.
Being culturally competent and trauma informed could generate authentic relationships built on mutual respect and baseline understanding. It could also prevent unfortunate situations and lingering animosity towards support services or professionals who genuinely want to help.
Personally, I know better than to judge anyone or everyone by one persons deeds. Yet, it took rewiring my brain through better memories and emotions, to understand that what I was trained to think is not correct. Not every service provider is a foe.
For a community that has been reliving the same degrading situations for generations, it may take a few generations to heal. But it all starts now.
For us, on the receiving end, there are so many resources and opportunities available to support youth, individuals, and families that we can take advantage of. It’s time to step out of our cultural programming and normalize creating our own support systems via non-traditional AND traditional means, too. If you need support but hesitate with the traditional methods, a Peer Support Advocate is the best you can get from both worlds. A trained professional with first-hand lived experience within the systems.
For us providers, taking the steps to try to understand the history, pain, dignity, and dreams of cultures and individuals. Understanding that equity does weigh more than equality. And that we all just want to thrive, not just survive. We all just want to be treated with humanity and respect, not via labels, biases, and stereotypes.
One genuine connection between an individual and service provider who is there to support and guide, not judge and fix, could have everlasting effects. Shifting the negative impression. More and more services in this manner could begin mending and healing communities. Don’t ever doubt it.
The NYS TINRC ENews is produced by CCSI. The views, opinions, and content expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of the New York State Office of Mental Health (NYS OMH).