A few weeks ago, the Manitoba Friends of Standing Together held its launch event – we were fortunate that 80 people came out to hear us in person, with another 10 on a quickly improvised livestream. While we had our share of rookie bumps and glitches, on the whole, I think it went quite well and achieved its major goal – showing that it is possible to have meaningful conversations between people who have deep trauma with each other.

If you Google trauma informed care, you will find a whole bunch of different formulations, from the ABCs to the 10 pillars and everything in between. It is clearly still an evolving field, but the basics seem to be safety (physical and emotional), trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment. 

We created an environment where people sat at round tables and had snacks and drinks available. We introduced three volunteers with grief and trauma counseling experience, who made themselves available to listen to anyone who felt a need for support. We provided the possibility of taking part in a simple art project, where people could express their fears, their grief and their hope by writing or drawing on appropriately shaped paper cutouts. We talked openly about how people might feel when they heard stories that clashed with their deeply held beliefs. We made space for people to leave the room if they needed to. We invited people to continue the conversation with us in the future.

Then we had speakers tell tales of being Jewish and being Palestinian. There were tears, at the podium and at the tables. As part of creating a safe space for everyone, including the speakers, we did not allow a Q&A period, but people talked with each other at the tables, and while mingling and getting snacks. For some people, even just being in the same space with the Other, without speaking to them, was a new experience they needed to process.

While there were definitely things we could have done better, on the whole the feedback was positive, and we are greatly encouraged going forward – it is possible for people who have been taught to dehumanise each other to overcome that, to acknowledge each other’s trauma and pain, and to look for ways to create justice, peace and coexistence, even when those things seem impossible to achieve. 

As we move forward with our meetings and collaborative actions with other groups in the city, we look forward to sharing this approach and hope that it will bear fruit for all of us, so that we may create a better community right here in Winnipeg.

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