The Legacy of Civil Rights Leaders, Medgar and Myrlie Evers
During these challenging times, it is imperative to raise up the true history of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In this encore show, Reena Evers-Everette, their committed and passionate daughter, shares how the vision of her father and mother continues through the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute in Jackson, Mississippi. She shares her personal experience of suffering and resiliency. She details living the institute's mission: cultivating positive social change and intergenerational civic engagement through research on social equity and justice worldwide.
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56:57
America: Shaped By Immigrants
We must not forget that the greatness of America has been shaped by the immigrants who have come for that hopeful opportunity of a better future. People have immigrated to the United States from many places around the globe. They have often escaped the horrors of war and oppression to come to a country hoping for a future where their families could thrive in a Democratic Republic. The host of Resiliency Within will share aspects of her first-generation view with her colleague, Martha Parra, LCSW, who came to the United States as a child with her family. The identities of Latinas and Latinos are shaped by geography, heritage, race, and gender. Latinas and Latinos embrace their heritage and contribute to the culture of the United States. Martha’s family came to California from Mexico, and Elaine’s mother and grandmother came from El Salvador. They will share how their families taught them compassion, courage, strength, service, and hard work. They will share the values they learned from their families and how their rich heritage has inspired their personal and professional journeys as community leaders. Elaine and Martha will also share their families’ challenges as they immigrate to a new country. Martha will discuss traditional healing practices learned from her father and how he inspired her work as a social worker. They also share the challenges of racism and colonialism that immigrants face. Martha will share two programs initiated by the Reagan administration that gave her and her family a pathway to legal residency. The Community Resiliency Model and the Trauma Resiliency Model and how they have been accessible to the Latino community. Martha pioneered the first Community Resiliency Model Teacher Training in Spanish in the pilot study through California’s Mental Health Services Act and the County of San Bernardino. Martha will share her work as an Immigration Evaluations Evaluator and her work with Asylum, Hardship, the Violence Against Women Act, and victims of human trafficking.
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56:31
The Status of Trauma-Informed Care
This week on Resiliency Within, host Elaine Miller-Karas welcomes Jesse Kohler for a timely conversation on the evolving landscape of trauma-informed care. Drawing from his policy experience in Washington, D.C., Jesse offers insights into the evolving political climate and its impact on trauma-informed practices. Together, they will discuss how community mental health leaders can thoughtfully respond to stakeholders who express concerns or objections to trauma-informed approaches. The conversation will also delve into the complexities of navigating emerging “red flag” policies introduced by the new administration. Most importantly, Jesse will offer practical guidance for advocates on engaging local legislators, emphasizing the importance of explaining how traumatic experiences shape the lives of children and adults in our communities. _________________________________ About Our Guest Jesse Kohler is the founder and president of The Change Campaign, which in this role he also currently serves as the Executive Director on loan to the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice. His career began in Philadelphia nonprofits with direct service work, but shifted toward systems transformation work around the onset of the pandemic. He now lives and works primarily in DC with the love of his life, but is also in the process of receiving his Master's in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, which takes him back to his family in Philly for monthly visits when he has in person classes. In college, Jesse established a personal mission to create a sustainable planet and better future for all, which is now the mission of The Change Campaign.
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58:17
Love Wins! A Lesbian Mother and Her Fierce Advocate Daughter
This show is being rebroadcast because of the importance of recognizing and respecting the LGBTQ+ community during these unprecedented times. The culture wars, with vitriolic rhetoric and attacks on LGBTQ+ individuals and families, are taking their toll. Sue Borrego and Kelsey Bunker Roberston are mother and daughter. They share their journey of love, hope, and resilience. This show first aired in 2023, and its message of love and hope is timeless and much needed in today’s world. Resilience is sometimes the outcome of some of the darkest moments in one’s life. My guests had very different experiences following Sue’s coming out when Kelsey was 9. Sue was occupied by the fear of losing her children and job and moving through the generational shame of her sexuality. Kelsey became a fierce advocate, proud of her parents and much less touched by the shame her mom felt. Sue gave birth to her children, Kelsey and Bryce in the 1980s. When they were toddlers, it became clear to Sue that she was a Lesbian. Nothing about her life and work had space for her truth. She was married to a man and working successfully at a Christian University. She chose to live closeted until she could no longer live so incongruously. Sue needed to find a different job and initiate divorce proceedings. Initially, Sue was not public about her sexual orientation. Ironically, Kelsey’s dad came out several months later. Together, they lived as a “non-traditional” family in a traditional town. Sue, consumed by the worldview of sexual orientation she grew up with, was terrified of costing her kids a “normal” life and losing the world she had carefully built. As an “emancipated minor” she had carefully constructed a world that she thought would protect her future. Kelsey continued to develop her sense of justice and love. She was a guest on panels, an advocate at school and an educator in her life. Today, Kelsey is a mom of 6, and Bryce is a father of three. Both of their parents are married to their partners and have lives filled with joy and love.
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55:13
Suicide Prevention
Resiliency Within is dedicated to remembering those affected by suicide. At a time in our country, where the mental health systems are being dismantled, it is imperative to remember those who are suffering. We want to bring to light those who work tirelessly to raise awareness and reach out to those suffering silently. My guests, Dr. Jamie Gamboa and Social Worker Brian Stefan, discuss their work with Spotlight on Suicide. They discuss the Suicidal Ideation Toolbox, a resource filled with accessible skills for helping professionals and individuals experiencing profound suffering. They share how people can receive help through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is a universal entry point throughout the United States and U.S. territories to reach a caring, trained counselor who can help people experiencing mental health, substance use, and suicidal distress.
Elaine Miller-Karas will amplify the message of hope, healing and resiliency she has learned from our world community as she has traversed the globe after human made and natural disasters. Hope often springs forth in response to suffering and trauma. Our beliefs and our wellbeing are being challenged during these unprecedented times.
The program Resiliency Within is about cultivating individual and community resiliency. Resiliency is the capacity to lean into our strengths with compassion during the most challenging of times and to remember what else is true? about our lived experience.
Her guests are inspiring global leaders actively promoting healing and resiliency from a variety of backgrounds. The goal is to spread wellbeing and give individual and community examples to inspire how wellness skills, including ones based upon neuroscience and the biology of the human nervous system, can be integrated into one's life, family and community during challenging times.
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