The event was held at LaGrange College in the Dickson Assembly Room Turner Hall 9:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
Dr. David Anderson Hookers Bio

Transforming Historical Harms Book (Free Download)

Sponsors: First Presbyterian Church, LaGrange College, Georgia Power

Historical Harms -- the modern-day negative impacts of historical trauma that have been transmitted across generations through legacy and aftermath. They are the structures, beliefs, and conditions that are overwhelming to many people on the levels of mind, body, and spirit that have their origins in historical trauma. Trauma -- the word “trauma” is a Greek word (noun) which means “wound” or “injury.”

Historical Trauma -- a term coined by Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart that refers to an event or complex set of events that impacted a significant segment of society or the entire populace. Historical Trauma, according to Brave Heart, is “the collective emotional and psychological injury both over the life span and across generations…emanating from massive group trauma.” Often, historical trauma is also cultural trauma in the sense that a complex set of traumagenic events, policies, and practices were directed at a segment of society because of some specific distinguishing feature of that group (e.g., race, ethnicity, belief, gender, sexuality, etc.).

Traumagenic-- an adjective coined by David Anderson Hooker that describes an event that is likely to cause trauma. It takes into account the understanding of trauma as a response to an event. The event itself is (or in the case of trauma generated by cumulative events, the circumstances are) the originating source, or genesis, of the trauma reaction rather than the actual trauma. An event that is likely to cause trauma would then be described as “Traumagenic.” Individuals and communities can have a variety of different responses to an event, and some individuals and communities might respond with strengthened capacities. However, a traumagenic event or circumstance will cause trauma reactions for the majority of those who are targeted, perpetrators, and witnesses.

The THH Approach -- a multifaceted strategy for transforming historical harms. The approach includes facing (researching, discovering, learning) the historic facts and circumstances that initiated the historical trauma; making connections (reaching out, listening, developing relationships) across groups divided by the historical trauma and harms; healing wounds (recognizing, talking about, letting go, making right) to mind, body and spirit related to the historic harm; and taking action (changing the beliefs and structures that perpetuate trauma). It is this approach that will be the center of the work of transforming historical harms.