Sarnia Lambton Alliance Against Hate
Sarnia-Lambton Alliance Against HateThere are many things that go into assisting someone who is the victim of a hate-motivated assault, but Lindsey Travis says the number one skill is the ability to listen. "We are here to help, here to listen, here to be an option for people to connect and have a space where they can talk openly about what they went through," says Lindsey, the project co-ordinator at Sarnia Lambton Alliance Against Hate (SLAH) which is a program of the Sarnia Branch of the John Howard Society.
Lindsey, 36, attended a local committee that was looking into racism in the community and saw a posting for the position she currently holds. "My education and work experience had been in mental health," Lindsey says, "So this just slid me over into more of a justice and social justice kind of avenue that I was already interested in. It was a nice shift for me in that we still provide emotional support to individuals."
John Howard Society's goal is to provide humane and dignified support to individuals who have had contact with the justice system. "When it comes to SLAH, the program specifically is to provide support and education with regard to hate-motivated acts for individuals of the community," Lindsey says. SLAH supports young individuals, from elementary school-aged children, all the way up to and including seniors. "It is for somebody who has experienced a hate-motivated act or witnessed one including harassment, vandalism, assault, bullying — any mistreatment in general — based off aspects of their identity. Often the referrals we receive are from individuals who have experienced it directly and sometimes we are a support system to find out what is available here."
It is paramount that victims are comfortable knowing they can tell their story without fear of judgment. "The key to success is developing a connection; building a rapport with people; sitting down and listening to what they want to share and really hearing them and validating and showing that you genuinely care about what they have been through and that it deserves to be recognized," Lindsey says. The organization focuses on providing a solid base but emphasizes that its door is always open. "We want people to know anybody can show up and share as much as they want to. There is no pressure so it's just a matter of what somebody wants to share and what kind of resources in the community they want to connect to. We are here to support them."
There is no standard for how long a person stays in contact with SLAH. "It varies," Lindsey says. "It could be a matter of weeks or one or two appointments. For other individuals it is months."
Lindsey adds being able to offer relatable experiences from her past helps open the door to assisting others. "I am a black woman. When I share the things I have been through, people can say to me 'I know that you get what I am talking about'. That kind of understanding and empathy go a long way in this kind of work."
Related Stories
Alzheimer Society of Sarnia-Lambton
The Alzheimer Society of Sarnia-Lambton was established in 1986 by a group of local volunteers. The first meeting was held in Petrolia at Twilight Haven Home for the Aged which is now known as Lambton Meadowview Villa. Dorothea Rivett was a driving force for the Society. If it wasn't for her an
Sarnia Sting
Experiencing Sarnia Sting hockey is so much more than a game. It's an experience. It's also a dedicated community partner. Five years ago, Derian Hatcher and David Legwand purchased the Sarnia Sting Hockey Club because they are passionate about junior hockey and the community of Sarnia-Lambton.
Water Bug Health Food Store
Admittedly, running a health food store was not Natalie Holmes' original plan, but there is no denying it has become her passion. Natalie's mother, Inge Englehart, and her partner Eldon Tomlinson were interested in opening a business, and in 1992 The Water Bug Health Food Store came to be. Sadly,
Kaffeïne Sarnia
Younan Nanno didn't know much about the world of coffee. He just knew that he loved to drink it and he wanted to work for himself. That was his motivation to purchase his own coffee shop, Kaffeine Sarnia. "I had absolutely no experience in the coffee world," Younan says. "My only work experi
Related Stories
McFarlan Rowlands Insurance Brokers Inc.
The decision to move to Sarnia more than three decades ago proved nothing short of life-changing for Craig Musico. "I started in the insurance business in 1990 as a claims adjuster," Craig recalls, "I was with a firm based in London, ON, and a couple of years into my tenure business was getting
Sylvan Learning was founded in 1979 in Portland, Oregon to provide supplemental instruction in reading, writing, math and study skills. The Sarnia location began in 1984 and has been located at the same address all these years, 10...
New You Professional Hair Design
Mary Ann Vanden Broek wanted to be a hairdresser since she was ten years old. As a kid, she practiced cutting her family's and brother's friends' hair using kitchen scissors. I always loved cutting hair. Eventually, it came down to becoming a hairdresser or a nurse. I didn't want to go to
Stonepicker Brewing Company Inc.
From bacon to beer. That pretty much sums up the career path Joe Donkers has taken. A pig farmer for nearly three decades, Joe did a 180 about five years ago when he made the decision to start brewing his own beer at home. That ultimately led to him and his wife Mary starting Stonepicker Brewing Co.
