HOW IS HEALING POSSIBLE?
The dehumanizing treatment of 17-year-old Gwendolyn challenged her belief not only in her artistic ability but far more devastating, her own self worth. The trauma was compounded by the sense of helplessness when faced with the understanding that she had no recourse but to accept the professional opinion of someone who was blinded by his own prejudices.
The incalculable loss of almost 50 years of her artistic development, confidence, and mastery can never be recovered. No one will ever see the works of art that could have been created, nor the medical illustrations which could have trained the next generation of doctors, nurses, occupational and physical therapists. Nothing will ever restore the career and opportunities that were stolen.
And yet …
Traumatic losses do not have to be the end of the story. Many millions of African-Americans exhibit hard earned post-traumatic resilience, post-traumatic strength, and post-traumatic wisdom every single day in order to survive. At the same time, as Dr. Fontenot attests, deep wounds remain, and old wounds are exacerbated by ongoing discrimination, violence, and opportunities denied to another, and still another generation.
There are many ways that people can and do find healing. In Gwendolyn’s case, her repeated requests for the university to award her degree were unsuccessful. Somehow, she never lost hope that justice would come.
Almost a half century later, two chance meetings changed her life forever, moving her further along the path of healing she had already begun.
Old wounds can be reopened, infections drained, bones reset, and skin stitched back together to allow greater measures of healing. Scars and pain never disappear completely but new strength, new life, renewed hope are possible.