You Are Going to Die Here: Developing Trauma Interventions by Collaborating with Young Men of Color Exposed to Violence

Young men of color in the United States experience disproportionate amounts of violence, both as victims of violent injury and as witnesses to trauma. In this reality, place matters. An abundance of research has documented the correlation between an individual’s zip code and their likelihood of experiencing violence. Despite this link between race, gender, place, and violence, services for young men of color often fail to account for their social contexts and lived experiences.  Moreover, there is a dearth of research detailing recommendations from young men of color who are exposed to trauma, perpetuating a system in which trauma services are not informed by the population they are designed to help.  

To better support the health needs of young men of color, Youth ALIVE! conducted interviews with 69 men of color, ages 18-30. Participants were asked to share how they access supports and services, how they identify their own trauma needs, and their recommendations for eliminating barriers that currently prevent individuals from accessing trauma services.  Following this, participants trialed several interventions aimed at lessening symptoms of trauma: trauma psycho-education, breathing exercises, sleep and health education, sensory grounding exercise, a muscle relaxation exercise, hand massage, and creating a “self-care plan.”

This presentation will describe our participants’ insights, lessons learned, and recommendations for developing culturally informed trauma services. We will discuss the concept of trauma-informed care and best practices in local hospital and community-based violence prevention programs.

As this project was just recently completed, we are submitting to the late breaker sessions.