Heidi Neumark’s description of silence around family trauma resonates for me and makes me happy to be uncovering, sharing, and hopefully, making a difference through this project.

“Most things get silenced in families because of shame, guilt, and fear. People wonder what possible good can come from brining up a painful or shameful past. … Yet so much can be lost in an effort to protect others from censure or embarrassment, and fissures under the surface tend to emerge one way or another. I can’t answer for everyone, but I’ve sen how ongoing silence itself can cause tremendous pain—and how it can be crazy-making. It’s possible to cover something up, but we can’t unsee, unknow, or unfeel it and remain whole.” —Heidi B. Neumark, Hidden Inheritance