"ACEs science can prevent school shootings; first people have to learn about ACEs science." Jane Stevens, ACEsConnection
🌎This is what we’re talking about! ❤️Imagine such an event happening across the U.S. in conjunction with local Boys & Girls Clubs of America, YMCA of the USA (National Resource Office), and YWCA USA groups so we could be sure local events are community-led and culturally appropriate! This is the kind of thing, Biden for President, that could activate young voters and volunteers. By helping all people become aware of the impact of positive and adverse childhood experiences — how supporting the positive and working to prevent adverse childhood experiences — ACEs — at all levels, especially the systemic ACEs of racism, poverty, cultural oppression, inequity, the wholesale lack of support for young families (as we see as a matter of course with paid family leave, which is offered in EVERY OTHER industrialized nation) we can build a groundswell. Federal $$$ supporting education and grassroots work in cross-sector communities could make all the difference. A public health campaign to raise awareness of the need to bring every sector of each community into this work to prevent and heal ACEs and to promote positive childhood experiences (PCEs) and true community-supported resilience? It would be revitalizing to tell the truth about generational trauma stories in this nation: genocide, land theft, kidnapping, enslavement — and to let truths of collective historical trauma in each community be a firm foundation of creating compassion, empathy, and concern for the wellbeing of one another. Truth for youth, with kids in each community learning their respective history, and perhaps being able to use the tools created by ACEs Matter — the wonderful “family trees” examining adverse and positive childhood experiences across generations — could be a great way to start. Imagine starting this on Juneteenth and having community events culminating w/celebrations of our original land-holders on Indigenous People’s Day, October 14, 2024. Along the way League of Women Voters and others could help youth register to vote, and perhaps engage youth in helping family members register. This idea was prompted by the great work of Jeff Linkenbach and Carla Ritz at The Montana Institute. Perhaps Prevent Child Abuse America and other organizations mentioned herein, with the help of NAMI and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), National Association for Children of Addiction (NACoA) and CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, would want to help lead such an effort. Corporate and government support working together to activate around truth telling and celebrating youth? Could be a public health engagement campaign that could help prevent isolation and gain support from our forward-thinking Surgeon General, who is definitely concerned about youth suicide and isolation. Thomas G. Bognanno Jean C. Accius, PhD, NACD.DC Melissa Merrick Christina Bethell Jennifer Jones Jeoffry Gordon, MD
June 15th is "Cruinniú na nÓg, an annual 'national free day of creativity for young people' in Ireland. It features over 1,000 free events for kids and teenagers across Ireland, sponsored by the Irish government and supported by the Irish public broadcaster RTE." Positive Childhood Experiences sponsored by a national government and a media corp! https://lnkd.in/gxTvgg8Z
