Week-Long Training Program Aims To Address Trauma Inflicted Upon Black And Brown Girls
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Addressing the root causes of trauma in Baltimore's Black and brown communities is the focus of a week-long training program.
That training helps girls thrive, Rica Wilson of Brown Girl Wellness, Inc., said.
"When folks know you care, they know how much you love them, they automatically break down barriers, break down walls and it's very important for the community to know this is a safe space," Wilson said.
The training provides a safe space for the girls to talk about the impact of gun violence, the opioid crisis, financial trauma, and the stresses caused by COVID-19.
"We want to make sure that the youth that we serve, we are pushing them toward a greater outcome than what they had when they previously met us," Sarah Wallace, the operations director of For My Kidz Resource Center, said.
Brown Girl Wellness, Inc., partners with various other Baltimore organizations to address trauma holistically. It's taking part in a week-long program called 'prevention convention," created by Farmer Nell of City Weeds. The program looks at treating the mind, body, and spirit.
For example, Be More Green has been teaching participants about how to build and design a garden, which will eventually produce fresh foods to sell at its community farmers market.
"As an adult, part of your job and duty and responsibility is to help the next generation come along and give them a blueprint instead of a blank slate," Alex Smith, the founder of Division Street Landscaping, said.
Baltimore City Councilman Zeke Cohen says he is trying to treat trauma on the legislative side.
"We can't wave for another wave of homicides or domestic violence, which I know is part of this conversation or the impact of starvation and food insecurity and food deserts," Cohen said. "We need to act now."