With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
VIDEO: An Immigrant Family Navigates Generational Trauma
Colette Baptiste-Mombo and her family at Jackson Memorial High School in 1974
(
Colette Baptiste-Mombo
)
Colette Baptiste-Mombo, a television engineer and community organizer, was born in 1958, at the height of the civil rights movement.
Baptiste-Mombo's parents came from different immigrant backgrounds — while her mother was from northern England and immigrated to the U.S. from Wales, her father was born in the Bronx. His family was from Jamaica.
While Baptiste-Mombo was growing up in New York City, African Americans across the country were fighting to end racial discrimination.
Colette Baptiste-Mombo stands in front of her home in Connecticut.
()
Support for LAist comes from
"We read stories about Jim Crow and segregation and lynching. But we don't read stories about what happens in between that, while civil rights was being played out," she says.
When Baptiste-Mombo was seven years old, she and her family moved from Queens, NY, to the suburbs of Jackson Township, NJ.
We left what now I see was our comfort zone — moving from an all-Black neighborhood into an all-white neighborhood. And we later came to find out that it was not going to be an easy road for our family.
"We left what now I see was our comfort zone — moving from an all-Black neighborhood into an all-white neighborhood," she says. "And we later came to find out that it was not going to be an easy road for our family."
Soon after moving in, the entire family was the subject of constant racist verbal attacks. These experiences culminated in a violent altercation that left Baptiste-Mombo injured. It was a defining time for her and her family — of what it means to be Black in America.
Today, Baptiste-Mombo is a community organizer in Connecticut for the social justice initiative Justice Southbury.
In conversation with Dr. Shavonne Moore-Lobban, a licensed psychologist and training director at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Baptiste-Mombo explores the legacy of generational trauma that stems from racism, and in turn, how it can manifest into generational resilience.
Support for LAist comes from
"The impact of trauma gets passed down through generations, but so does the desire to survive it," says Moore-Lobban.
This story is part of the Where We Come From series, featuring stories from immigrant communities of color across generations, in honor of Immigrant Heritage Month. Find more stories here.
Video reporting, production, and editing by Michael Zamora. Anjuli Sastry created and produced 'Where We Come From' with additional editing and production by Julia Furlan and Diba Mohtasham. Additional video editing by Ben de la Cruz and Nicole Werbeck. Our director of programming is Yolanda Sangweni.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDA1OTI3MjQ5MDEyODUwMTE2MzM1YzNmZA004))
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Immigration raids have caused some U.S. citizens to carry their passports to the store, to school or to work. But what documents to have on you depends on your citizenship. -
The historic properties have been sitting vacant for decades and were put on the market as-is, with prices ranging from $750,000 to $1.75 million. -
Users of the century old Long Beach wooden boardwalk give these suggestions to safely enjoy it. -
The Newport Beach City Council approved a new artificial surf park that will replace part of an aging golf course. -
The utility, whose equipment is believed to have sparked the Eaton Fire, says payouts could come as quickly as four months after people submit a claim. But accepting the money means you'll have to forego any lawsuits. -
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to study raising the pay for construction workers on apartments with at least 10 units and up to 85 feet high.
Best of LAist