Steps That Helped a Nation Move Forward in the Last Year

Americans have been particularly resilient to threats of terror in the last year. According to the recent book, Resiliency: An Integrated Approach to Practice, Policy, and Research (NASW, 2002) edited by Roberta R. Greene, PhD, MSW, research declares resilience reserved for unpredicted or markedly successful adaptations to negative life events, trauma, stress, and other forms of risk—such as those events that took place on September 11.

In a chapter devoted specifically to resilience and violence at the larger societal level, Irene Queiro-Tajalli, PhD, and Craig Campbell, MSW, explain the phenomena that took place throughout our country in the last year—those that led to resilience not only of individuals but of a nation. The authors explain how the potential power within communities and society itself emerged and was realized in the aftermath of September 11. This power transformed communities across the country, readying them for social change.

On September 11, Americans witnessed firsthand atrocities that plague other countries in the world every day. As we began the healing process, Queiro-Tajalli and Campbell describe the six specific steps that Americans took and continue to move through in order to heal.

At the time of the events, we immediately felt a broad range of feelings—dismay, disbelief, fear, and anger. Americans were painfully reminded of our vulnerability and were seized by a feeling of powerlessness. Within moments of the attacks we reached for those specific protective factors that provided necessary supports among family members, neighbors, and friends. One protective factor, according to Queiro-Tajalli and Campbell was the promptness with which our communities pulled together and showed support for each other, as well as the ability of helping professionals, such as social workers, within the communities who attended to the survivors’ physical and emotional needs.

Although this next step is marked by feelings of mistrust and hurt, there was an ongoing effort to make sense of the senseless, the authors say. News coverage at this time tried to answer the question of why. Why are we a “hated nation?” It is also in this step that people in the same situation throughout the country began to band together and express their emotions. Communities organized and entered the long process of rebuilding. This step was apparent as we watched family members of victims come together and offer support. Communities everywhere held vigils and lit candles to honor those who had lost their lives.

In response to the tragedy, there was a movement from the sense of “self” to the collective agreement that it was “our tragedy.” The nation strengthened relationships and built trust and cohesion. There was a strong feeling of mutual support throughout communities and throughout the nation as a whole. The empathic relationships that were built in response to the tragedy are one of the protective factors that have allowed our country to face adversity with a unified front.

Many communities today have plans in place to attempt to prevent and react to future terrorist attacks. The upgraded and federalized airport security and the INS follow-up on immigration are both examples of how the United States is developing principles to prevent acts of terror. Queiro-Tajalli and Campbell say that through this organizing process, members of communities are empowered to control their own destinies.

Our nation has become resilient enough to continue its struggle, regardless of the threats. We continue to work on keeping the memory of the initial tragic events alive. Memorials are planned for both the Pentagon and the World Trade Center as it is rebuilt. There are events planned throughout the country to memorialize the one-year anniversary and the President had issued a resolution, naming the day “Patriots Day.”

Finally, our nation, as one, has embraced the cause and reinvented our communities with protective factors against acts of terrorism. Communities have become more resilient as a result of community empowerment. Recently, the transformation of a tragedy to bring about social change, such as the Bush Administration’s proposal for the Homeland Security Department in the wake of September 11, demonstrates how an event can be the catalyst to unify a community and, in this case, a country, to bring about social change.

In response to the acts of September 11, many Americans have begun to navigate threats with a great deal of courage, and to such an extent that community members are prepared to place themselves at risk—demonstrated by the heroic acts of passengers on board Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania. They organized and became a unified front, as has our nation at this point. Bonding, mutual support, understanding, a sense of togetherness, mobilization of community assets, and support from external groups and communities are factors that have contributed to our ability to bounce back after such senseless acts of terror. These characteristics were apparent in New York City, Washington, DC, and onboard United Flight 93, as well as in Pennsylvania and the rest of the country in the aftermath of September 11.

Media outlets interested in this specific chapter or information regarding the book or interviews with the authors, please contact Lahne Mattas-Curry at media@naswdc.org or call 202-336-8228.