You are resilient! After loss and devastation, you can rebuild.
In May 31-June 1 of 1921, the armed rioters at the event known as the Tulsa Race Massacre killed hundreds of residents, burned more than 1,250 homes, and demolished 35 city blocks. It caused major trauma for the people who were injured and/or lived through it and became homeless. The area of Greenwood that burned was known as Black Wall Street, where entrepreneurs (mostly former slaves and their descendants) had built businesses that were thriving. There was wealth gained from the oil industry as well.
It was so much loss and harm that the white supremacists had caused. There was grief and anger, BUT the people of that area and surrounding areas worked to rebuild. Present day, you see the resilience. A park was established in 2010 in the Greenwood area as a memorial to victims of the riot. The Tulsa Historical Society and Museum, where I was able to visit, has so much to experience when you do go there and learn about all that happened. These surviving stories and documents are terrible, but it’s important to learn our history as a country. In a section of Greenwood Ave, there are a set of offices and shops still standing from that 1923 rebuilding. Tulsa ranked in the top 50 as one of the best places to start a business in 2019. There are booming shops, apartment complexes, hotels, and places of the arts.
To take from this, even when you see devastation, take your time to grieve. Then, with determination, you can create beauty and take advantage of opportunities that otherwise look bleak. Your life isn’t over yet. What good can come from you building something new? Your resilience is internal strength. Keep going!