Systemic Racism, Trauma Spur Action for Healing

Grantmaking to address adverse childhood experiences and collective trauma

Kaiser Permanente, the nation’s largest integrated, nonprofit health care organization, is supporting 13

organizations across the United States whose work focuses on ending the generational cycles of trauma caused by structural racism and injustice experienced by Black Americans and other communities of color. This trauma often manifests in situations and actions that hurt children by causing adverse childhood experiences, known as ACEs, which have negative lifelong consequences for health and well-being.

One grantee, the Positive Results Center (PRC), has been serving the South Bay community since 1992. A two-year, $100,000 grant will support PRC’s Healing Through Trauma program, an arts-based awareness and prevention program targeting Black/African American youth, young adults, and families, including those who identify as LGBTQQTIA, at-risk, and low income to address intergenerational violence, abuse, and trauma. PRC will also provide Culturally Specific and Sensitive training to providers and educators who serve target audiences in Compton, Gardena, South Los Angeles (Athens, Westmont, Willowbrook area), and Watts.

“Research has shown that violence, injustice, and trauma have an impact on individuals over multiple generations,” said Margie Harrier, RN, senior vice president, and area manager at Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center. “Addressing this trauma and supporting the important work of organizations, like the Positive Results

Center, is part of how we move forward and heal as a community.” Data from the CDC show that at least 38% of children have had at least one adverse childhood

experience before the age of 18, impacting children and families across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. However, Black and Latinx children experience more ACEs than average, with Black children experiencing 11% more ACEs than white children at all income levels. The COVID-19

pandemic’s disproportionate burden on communities of color may be fueling a future ACEs crisis:

Researchers estimate 40,000 children in the U.S. have lost a parent to COVID-19, and Black children have experienced about 20% of the losses while making up only 14% of the population.

“Healing Through Trauma provides a safe space for participants to feel

supported, connect in a non-judgmental and loving environment, and cultivate their leadership skills while exploring ways to impact their

community positively,” explained Kandee Lewis, executive director of the Positive Results Center. “Our objective is to support people to explore and recognize their push points and sensitive areas, what triggers them, how to care for themselves when they feel activated, and how to make generative and healing-driven decisions rather than reactive.”

Kaiser Permanente’s support for community-based organizations is part of its commitment of $25 million in grant funding to support racial equity and economic opportunities that will help aid pandemic recovery for the hardest hit communities, including Black/African American, Latinx, and underserved

Kandee Lewis, Executive Director

communities.

Positive Results Center