From “Dropout to Doctorate: Breaking the Chains of Educational Injustice” By Terrence Lester, PhD
I didn’t learn until much later that the shattering of my home life had played out against the backdrop of an era that was already unfavorable to Black people in the South. Scholars have demonstrated an inescapable link between deprived social living conditions – that is, poverty – and family violence. The strain of the lack of resources, social pressures, economic hardships, limited opportunities, and injustices can lead to increased tension and frustration within not just households but whole communities. Poverty coupled with systemic injustices can cause a never-ending cycle of violence and frustration, which ultimately can impact children and who they become in society. These types of social and emotional challenges can create high levels of tensions, raise levels of stress, and add deeper burdens and conflict within a family or community. In turn, these very circumstances increase the probability of domestic violence, thus creating a cycle of trauma.