Moving Forward

All underserved communities are made up of people who have received various forms of messaging that their lives were not valued. This negative messaging can be the result of racism, violence, a broken prison system, homophobia, transphobia, or the patriarchy.

The simple act of keeping a journal can help people restore one’s self-worth. Documenting the events, thoughts and feelings of the day allows people to claim ownership over their own experiences and to appreciate their value.

Writing in a journal can be a form of self-care and self expression that can be done in addition to other types of behavioral health therapy. This can be extremely valuable for communities that have difficulty in finding support and/or appropriate mental health care.

In addition to leading journaling meet-ups for the staff of Trinity Church of Wall Street, I am a facilitator with Smith Center, a non profit that provides arts and wellness programs for cancer survivors. At this time, I am looking for non-profits that share my vision of teaching strategies for self-care to underserved communities and who would either act as a fiscal sponsor or offer guidance in finding foundations that are aligned with this mission. If you know of an organization that works with underserved communities who might benefit from these workshops, any information you can share would be greatly appreciated.