PORTLAND, Maine — Cross Cultural Community Services hosted its annual Black History Month Community Wellness Fair Thursday in Portland.
The event was established during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way for Black Mainers and people of color to learn more about treatment options and health resources, while discussing ways people in the community can support each other during unprecedented times.
This year, the center's co-founder Regina Phillips said the theme of the wellness fair is trauma, grief, hope, and joy, in response to recent world events and especially last October's mass shooting in Lewiston.
Phillips and organizers with the CCCS will hold a similar wellness fair in Lewiston on Friday.
While addressing racial trauma, shared loss, and other hardships, there were also moments of positivity during Thursday's discussions.
"We’re going to be talking about hope. We’re going to be talking about joy. We’re going to be talking about different ways people can take care of themselves," Phillips said.
Panelists like Blanca Santiago, who is a licensed clinical social worker, spoke to the crowd about the progress Maine and Portland have made in providing mental health services to people of color and kids who come to Maine with their parents as either economic refugees, or fleeing oppression.
"So [the kids] come and left everything behind, including all the community supports," Santiago said. "And children don’t have a say."
She spent decades working with Portland public school students, helping them assimilate in Maine. While more work needs to be done, Santiago said there are success stories.
For example, the school system now has three social workers working with students in Portland, who speak multiple languages. Santiago said the benefits for young students to be able to speak with someone who they can relate to is crucial for their mental wellbeing and transition to a new home.
The school system, Santiago added, also implemented Affinity Groups, which allowed new students to meet and connect with each other over shared passions. The best example of that, she added, was allowing the kids to play soccer after school.
"And there was so many connections that were made because they were playing a sport because that’s what teams sports does," Santiago added. "Things can happen with kids when we’re thinking about them and reaching out to them in ways that are important or that actually work."
However, Santiago also pointed out that Maine needs more social workers of color, to better connect with Mainers looking to boost their mental health.
A proposed bill in front of the Maine Legislature could help with that. The legislation would remove an examination requirement for certain social workers, which Santiago said, could encourage more people of color to join the workforce.
A number of community nonprofits and organizations were also present Thursday, as they shared resources and more information to those in attendance.
Mindbridge works to bridge the gaps of mental health services in Maine. Kholis Wamendes Pepani is the assistant director of healing racial trauma for the organization and said it hosts opportunities for people of color to gather in a safe space and talk about their experiences.
"The work that we’re doing here gives people the opportunity to really reconnect with themselves, live full and fulfilling lives," she said. "Trauma is something that is incredibly difficult to live with. It impacts the way that we interact, the way that we love, the way that we see the world."
Another theme of the event that Kholis and others shared Thursday, was that no one can heal individually, and it will take friends, family, and community members to work together.
Friday's event in Lewiston will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at The Royal Room.