Breaking Cycles: Courage, Curiosity & Love ft. Lee Hawkins Jr

On Trauma and Power with Jenn Turner, LMHC

In this powerful episode, journalist and author Lee Hawkins joins Jenn Turner to explore the deep and far-reaching impact of intergenerational trauma. Drawing from his book I Am Nobody’s Slave, Hawkins shares his personal journey of uncovering his family's hidden history, including generations of racial violence, land theft, and silence around loss. Through genetic research and oral histories, he exposes how systemic racism, secrecy, and corporal punishment shaped not only his ancestors’ lives but also his own upbringing—and how courageously confronting these truths has allowed him to reclaim healing, understanding, and connection.

Hawkins reflects on how historical trauma is often internalized through shame, silence, and loyalty to harmful cycles, and he calls for a new kind of legacy—one grounded in curiosity, honesty, and nonviolent social change. He discusses the healing power of therapy, the role of education in disrupting ignorance, and how family and community support can shift generational outcomes. His story is one of courageous truth-telling and resilience, offering a roadmap for those seeking to break cycles of harm and move toward collective healing and transformation.

✨Go to Leehawkinsjr.com to learn more about Lee and be sure to checkout his book I AM NOBODY'S SLAVE which you can check out more and purchase here: https://www.amazon.com/Am-Nobodys-Slave-Uncovering-Familys/dp/0062823167

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⭐️Be sure to check out healwithcfte.org/podcast for more information about the show, and your host Jenn Turner, LMHC. and Follow us on instagram instagram.com/ontraumaandpower @ontraumaandpower to stay updated on future episodes!

💙On Trauma and Power with Jenn Turner, LMHC is produced by the Center For Trauma and Embodiment. To learn more about CFTE, head to healwithcfte.org

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Copyright Credit: Center For Trauma and Embodiment 2025