Being Trauma-Informed

< Back to Roadmap

How long would it take for you to forgive deeply harmful acts? Would you and your family ever be able to do so? Even if forgiveness of harm did take place, would it mean that the harm didn’t impact you? This is the concept around being trauma-informed and working towards restorative justice.  

A Trauma-informed approach is a framework that is grounded in understanding the psychological, physical, spiritual and mental stresses that come with experiencing racism, genocide, and slavery. People of color already know that trauma has long-lasting generational impacts. Being trauma-informed is creating mindfulness to prevent triggers, recognize trauma, and allow those who have experienced the impacts of racism to gain a sense of control within racial equity work.  

Restorative Justice is a framework to create reconciliation between the victim and the offender, with protocols informed by criminal justice. The goal of this framework is to create healing between communities of color and those with white privilege by:  

• Having white folks take responsibility to end racism 

• Recognizing and acknowledging the harm that was created  

How you can be mindful 

• Prepare for the ways in which these conversations might take a toll on employees of color. Create opportunities for employees to take a breather from the process if needed, and minimize the exposure of problematic statements that will happen as white folks learn about racism and white privilege. 

• Create employee resources for employees of color. This can be flexible time and space to take a break from the impacts of racism. This can mean an affinity group where POC employees can meet in their own sacred space to find community and healing.  

• Be sure to give folks a heads up on the days and ways racial equity training will occur. 

• Work to find trainers that can help center the experiences of people of color and even have curriculum built by and for people of color.