Thank you to everyone who attended the third forum in the CREST Mental Health & Wellness Series on Thursday, March 26. More than 60 participants gathered at Roxbury Community College in Boston for an engaging discussion on Intergenerational Trauma and Resources. 

The evening began with a jazz performance led by John Kordalewski — best known as the leader of the Makanda Project, a 13-piece ensemble that performs his arrangements of previously unheard compositions by Makanda Ken McIntyre — who helped set a welcoming tone as attendees enjoyed dinner. This was followed by opening remarks from CREST Director Vanessa Robinson, DrPh, MPH, who shared an overview of CREST and highlighted its mission to support and engage the community. 

Panel moderator Mike Kincade, Community Outreach Lead at the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, opened the discussion with a personal story that grounded the conversation. Panelists Neha Sharma, DO, ADAPT Steering Committee member and Chief of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center, Lucy Lomas, MD, OB-GYN and founder of Lucy), and Jeein Law, PhD candidate in Gerontology at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, highlighted how trauma evolves over time, how it presents differently as we age and how our responses to it can also change. The panelists emphasized that with awareness and support, individuals can develop new ways of coping and healing across the lifespan. Their reflections and lived experiences resonated with many members of the audience. 

Following the panel, attendees participated in a Tai Chi session led by Cheryl Clyburn Crawford, Executive Director of MassVOTE and the 2nd Vice President of the NAACP-Boston Branch​. Ms. Crawford guided the attendees through a series of mindful movements emphasizing relaxation, breath awareness, focus, and coordinated upper body motion. 

Throughout the evening, attendees also had access to valuable resources provided by community vendors, including Tufts CTSI partner the Authentic Caribbean Foundation, the Kujichagulia Wellness Center, the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and Health Care For All.

The evening concluded with networking and community connection. 

We extend our sincere thanks to the CREST Event Planning Committee, CREST partners, Tufts CTSI volunteers, and student volunteers from Tufts University School of Medicine for helping make this CREST Forum a success!