Ashley C. Ford will join Coburn Place for a discussion about “Surviving Trauma and The Path to Healing” this Saturday.
“We Survive and Rise: A Conversation with Ashley C. Ford” will include an author talk and book signing with the New York Times Bestselling author, a panel discussion with Hazel Owens, MDiv, LMFT, mental resource fair and more from 3-5 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Martin University Gathertorium.
“Ashley’s story is a riveting reminder that families experiencing violence or other traumas can benefit from a holistic healing process that addresses the needs of both parents and their children,” Rachel Scott, President and CEO of Coburn Place, said in an email. “Her remarkable story shows that it’s possible for individuals to disrupt the cycle of intergenerational trauma, while holding space for us all to grow in a healing community.”
The event is hosted by Round Room and Coburn Place, which is the largest provider of safe housing choices and supportive services for survivors of domestic violence in Indianapolis and made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Initiative.
When she first moved to Indianapolis in 2012, Ford said she volunteered in DV shelters and tutoring programs, seeing the good work organizations like Coburn Place do firsthand.
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“It’s a situation that requires us to not only view and appreciate but truly accept the humanity of people who are in what we would consider downtrodden situations, people who have nowhere to go,” Ford said. “We have to address that because we are connected to each other, whether we want to be or not.”
Ford’s bestselling memoir “Somebody’s Daughter” was published by Flatiron Books in June 2021 and explores her growing up as a poor Black girl in Indiana with a family fragmented by incarceration and “her journey to find the threads between who she is and what she was born into.”
There’s at least one scene in “Somebody’s Daughter” that very clearly deals with abuse and the feelings of helplessness she felt, Ford said. However, highlighting these topics and openly discussing things like domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault and mental health is imperative to healing and acceptance.
“I can never make promises about what people will gain from a talk that I give, but my hope is always that they just walk away with the view of humanity and with a greater idea of who belongs under that umbrella of humanity, which is all of us,” Ford said. “I’m just really excited to be part of the conversation. I’m honored to be asked to participate, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the people in those rooms light up with the glory of information and acceptance and hopefully some healing.”
“Please come out to be refreshed and empowered as we work together to break down the stigma around mental health issues in the Black community,” Scott said.
“Survive and Rise” takes place from 3-5 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Martin University Gathertorium, 2186 N. Sherman Dr. Doors open at 2 p.m. and the resource fair takes place before and after the programming. The event is free to attend, guests may register at surviveandrise.eventbrite.com.
Coburn Place has issued a content warning as the discussion may include mention of sexual assault, child abuse and domestic violence. For more information, visit coburnplace.org/events/surviveandrise.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowan.
