Ask Austin, I just quit my somewhat multiracial, but still predominantly white, church and now that I have time and space to reflect, I’m caught off guard at how much racial trauma I experienced while there that I didn’t recognize at the time. It makes me feel foolish that I didn’t see it sooner, and also very wary about finding a new faith community. Do you have any advice for how to navigate this process? I don’t want to isolate myself but everything feels like a trap.
Signed,
Issa Trap
Dear Issa Trap,
If it smells like a trap, if it talks like a trap, if it walks like a trap… It might be a trap. First I want to say that not only do I believe you; Ive been there. Enduring racial trauma is real, and I hope you soon find avenues toward healing. But I also want to make sure you don’t endure more trauma while you work through this trauma! So what Im going to ask you to do, is be honest about what you learned in that place of trauma. What lies were told? In what ways were you manipulated, hu…