HISTORICAL TRAUMA

This remains a Holy Time across the oceans of this world and involves a vast number of wisdom traditions. Regardless of the wisdom tradition, children across the continents are wide-eyed with awe-struck hearts filled with hope for love, peace, and compassion entrenched in safety and warm embraces to echo the bells cocooned in valleys, across mountainsides, swimming in rivers, roaming our forests, hung on cows, lakes, alive in hills, stampeding the plains, harvested in fields, bending meadows, moist jungles, whispering winds, and desolate deserts. Yet, there are ever still children enveloped in fear, paralyzed with every pounding at the door,  flinching with every ka-boom, yelping with the pellets sounding of rapid-fire, bombs exploding next door on their neighbors and families, machetes hacking at their little legs as they sleep, mothers and fathers to never be seen again, dying the excruciatingly painful death of starvation and dehydration as resources are stolen as they drop from the air or arrive via ship and war-ravaged mothers, nurse, from empty bosoms the last glimmer of all that once glittered, perhaps not dancing in their lifetime, or noteworthy,  nor reported across our technological devices. Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart Ph.D. (2005) introduced the term “historical trauma” to describe this specific trauma that Indigenous folks, including Taino and Latino people, experienced in the United States. She defined it as “cumulative emotional and psychological wounding across generations including one’s lifespan.” While historical trauma is the result of centuries of colonization and abuses, Brave Heart highlighted the effects of the separation of families and forced assimilation of the boarding school experience. This is not about conquering and conquering. I find this time of year ideal for such a reckoning.  Yes, we all stand on the shoulders of giants, and yes, we all stand on the shoulders of masked marauders.  Please review previous editions, outlining generalized trauma and inter-generational if needed. Historical trauma is multigenerational trauma experienced by a specific cultural, racial, or ethnic group. It is related to major events that oppressed a particular group of people because of their status as oppressed, such as slavery, the Holocaust, forced migration, and the violent colonization of our Indigenous brothers and sisters. Research indicates that race-based discrimination is detrimental to the mental and physical health of African Americans and all hues involved! Please join us next for coping skills that may help you navigate this life!   Read More From This Columnist / Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Community Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Military & Veterans Peace People Politics CALL FOR ARTISTS! July 5, 2023/No CommentsRead More UNDERSTANDING TRAUMA June 5, 2023/No Comments In contemporary society, we hear the term PTSD for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder very often. This is the new buzzword or Read More INVESTING IN OURSELVES: UNDERSTANDING TRAUMA May 2, 2023/No Comments Depression & anxiety are common problems that can develop after trauma.  Depression ignites feelings of sadness and low mood. These Read More Load More End of Content.

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GUATEMALAN CHICKEN SOUP (CALDO DE POLLO)

Chicken soup is a classic meal for any time of the year. Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite variations from my family to yours; Guatemalan Caldo de Pollo. This is a perfect dish for winter and will keep you warm during future blizzards to come. Every country in Latin America has its version of Caldo. The original Caldo is thought to have originated from Mexico and then spread throughout countries in Central and South America, prompting variations in cuisine based on their native ingredients. Thankfully, my recipe uses food available in local grocery stores like Wegmans, Price Rite, and Aldi. A good Caldo de Pollo starts with the broth. Bouillon cubes or concentrates are great for a quick soup; however, I highly recommend making chicken stock from scratch if you’re able to. Start with sautéing pieces of chicken meat or scraps in a large pot over medium-high heat. Using leftover chicken bones from prior meals will add more flavor to your broth. Saute for 5-8 minutes, occasionally stirring, until chicken pieces are browned. Once that is done, start adding the vegetables. The veggies I use for a simple stock are two halved carrots, two halved celery sticks, a large onion quartered, and a whole head of garlic sliced in half from its side to expose all the cloves. Then add a bunch of cilantro and stir the contents together before adding enough water to fill up the pot to just a half-inch below the rim. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low, then let it simmer for 1½ to 2 hours. If using an instant pot or pressure cooker, it can be made in 45-50 minutes on its Soup/Stock setting. (Pro-tip: Save veggie scraps in the freezer using a Ziploc bag for future stocks.) Once the stock is done, pour it carefully over a strainer into another pot and then discard the used chicken bones and vegetables. Taste the stock for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste before adding the rest of the ingredients.  A whole chicken is traditionally used for Caldo, but you can use any cut you want. I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, which are generally cheaper and give a richer chicken flavor. For the vegetables, slice four large, peeled carrots, quarter four medium, peeled potatoes, and dice two Roma tomatoes. I also added two bay leaves for a more pepper-like taste. Once everything is in, let the soup simmer on the stove for 45 minutes (20-25 minutes in the pressure cooker) until the meat and veggies are cooked. Once finished, you can either shred the meat or leave it whole. Serve with fresh corn tortillas, white rice, and boiled corn on the cob. An extra cilantro sprig is perfect for a garnish. Tasting this soup brought me straight back to my childhood and gave me fond memories of spending time with family. I hope it provides comfort and warmth to you and your loved ones during this season.

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FEDERAL FUNDS COMING TO BUFFALO

FEDERAL FUNDS COMING TO BUFFALO Buffalo getting about $1.27 billion. Elected officials sharpening their knives, along with their selected community leaders. We know some crumps will come our way to support the development of the Hispanic Heritage Council’s Hispanic Center on Niagara Street. The Latino Village feels this is not enough; actually, it is a big insult to the community. We urge people who consider themselves leaders to meet, prepare to fight together for a LOT MORE, a great opportunity to bring LIFE to the Niagara Street strip. Time to develop a “Business Economic Latino Plan.” We have the human resources to qualify for a big piece of the action. In addition to the proposed HHC Center, other Latino groups will be able to sponsor their own San Juan project, like El Batey Puerto Rican Center, Los Artistas del Barrio, El Buen Amigo, El Museo, Pucho Olivencia Center, Belle Center, HUB, Hispanic Women’s League, Los Taino Senior Center, El Cajaro Social Club, and the Raices Theatre group. Don’t settle for one cultural center, we can have more. We can also help Latino businesses by generating consumer & tourist traffic. Look where the Peace Bridge is located. What do you think? Share your opinion. Read More All Post Food Lower West Side Business & Economic Development CARNITA TACOS May 1, 2023/No Comments CARNITA TACOS The taco is undeniably one of the most iconic foods of Mexico and greater Latin America. The Buffalo Read More LA PUPUSA April 1, 2023/No Comments LA PUPUSA My first few columns mainly focused on foods from Guatemala, which should not be surprising considering my background. Read More LATIN FOOD, LATIN RECIPES: CHAMPURRADAS March 1, 2023/No Comments LATIN FOOD, LATIN RECIPES: CHAMPURRADAS If you remember my column from last month, I tried making Champurradas using an online Read More Load More End of Content.

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