Last week was so surreal. On Thursday, in a packed lecture hall, l sat on a panel alongside community leaders as an expert in youth development/advocacy at the Intergenerational Trauma and Community Violence Summit. The keynote speaker was THE Dr. Joy Degruy, a world renown scholar, researcher, and lecturer (and THE person I’ve looked up to for the past 3 years!). People drove from across the state to be apart of this day, y’all. At the end of answering the question, “If we have youth at our hearts, what is one thing we can do to aid in healing?”, she gave me, little old ME, a standing ovation. Afterwards, she shook my hand and said to me, “Don’t give up. I look forward to you continuing your work.” Umm WHAT?! When I left, I sat in my car and cried, lol. Sometimes I get so discouraged because I don’t have a degree, and it falters my steps while I walk in my purpose, ya know? But people see me, they see my drive, and know my efforts aren’t in vain. I need to remind myself of that more. #invest #support #protect#localorganizations #communitybased #JoyDegruy #PostTraumaticSlaveSyndrome #trauma #intergenerationaltrauma #summit (at Wayne County Community College District) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoE6owpgl8u/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=uwlbm2t30l6o
