West Linn Alliance for Inclusive Community is forming a new study group to delve deeply into the issues raised in Resmaa Menakem’s book My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies. Key to this book is the perspective that all Americans are affected by racism. White bodies have been valued more than black (or brown) bodies. We all live in our bodies, and it is through our bodies that we experience the world and the intergenerational traumas caused by white supremacy.
This study group is not for the faint-hearted. It will take a commitment of several months to read, discuss, and do the practices suggested in the book. The 24 chapters are platforms for experiential learning and group discussion in the hope that we can find ways to mend our collective body.
To join, contact Tamara Gilbert at creativeopenings097@gmail.com by May 15.
About the Author
Resmaa Menakem, MSW, LICSW, SEP is a therapist specializing in body-centered trauma therapy. He has worked as a consultant for the Minneapolis Police Department, Minneapolis Public Schools, and the US military, focusing on issues relating to trauma processing and violence prevention. Mr. Menakem is the creator of Cultural Somatics, which utilizes the body and its natural resilience as mechanisms for growth and is the founder of Justice Leadership Solutions, a leadership consulting firm.
About the Facilitator
Tamara B. Gilbert is an expressive arts facilitator and communications consultant. A Brown University graduate, Ms. Gilbert earned her MA in Dance Ethnology from UCLA. She has earned numerous awards for her creative work in the field of environmental communications spearheading multi-media, multi-lingual public outreach campaigns for the City of San Jose. Ms. Gilbert received her facilitation training through the San Jose’s Facilitator Academy and the Tamalpa Institute and has worked with many public agency and non-profit groups over the years. Since moving to Oregon, she has been part of the County’s Leadership for Equity Cohort and has served on WLA’s leadership team since 2017.