Black Queer Roar: A Guide to Self Care in the Face of Trauma

We are calling on the voices of the marginalized to spring up and share their stories: their methods of coping, healing, and growing with others in a radical act of self love and solidarity. It’s something so near and dear to me because, as a disabled q***r, survivor of sexual assault, artist and activist I have had to navigate the world with several roadblocks and no instruction manual. I've learned through my own life the importance of sharing resources and being transparent. For many, being a part of a marginalized community (or several in my case) create more barriers to adequate care and even a sense of belonging. I want to look at healing, grief, chronic illness, identity in all the ways that it affects us and maybe molds us. While my healing has taken many shapes, and affected many areas of my life, it also has created a community of folks that are kind, vulnerable and courageous even when they are scared. By speaking out on it, I take it out of my body. By speaking I give permission to others to feel afraid, to be sad, to feel numb, to celebrate life and the lives of others. Healing isn’t linear, and it’s not in a vacuum either. It’s important that we embrace the healing process in whatever form that looks like for the individual. BGR is not just a resource but a platform to create community survivors in their voice – in their roar for justice, visibility, and community.