Date of Award

5-15-2025

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Tonya Stremlau

Second Advisor

Oscar Ocuto

Abstract

This Capstone project focused on writing a book for young adults about the different traumas people experience, including generational trauma, domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental health struggles. These difficult topics were often discussed, yet the goal was to encourage open conversations that helped individuals recognize trauma and learn about available resources. My mother, Theresa Preciado, experienced all these challenges, and sharing her story aimed to inspire others to speak up. Her journey reflected the struggles of many, offering relatability, education, and understanding. Readers were made aware that the book included emotionally heavy content. At its core, this project sought to break cycles of silence and shame, offering a pathway to healing—not only for me and my family but for readers who might have recognized pieces of their own story in the narrative I wrote. I hoped to spark meaningful discussions around Indigenous experiences, prevention, treatment, and the long-term effects of intergenerational trauma. Through a compelling and authentic account of my mother’s journey, this book aimed to inspire greater awareness and encourage lasting social change.

Comments

This capstone resulted in a creative product. As a result, due to the request of the author, the creative product has been removed from this capstone.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.