2024 Lecture Series Explores Intersection of Resilience and Community

ATLANTA – On Monday, May 13, 2024, Skyland Trail hosted the 13th annual Dorothy C.
Fuqua Lecture Series at the Atlanta History Center. The lecture, titled “Building
Resilience: Strategies for Navigating Stress and Cultivating Strength,” explored the
nature of resilience through visual models, personal stories and an expert panel
discussion.

The event featured a conversation with Dr. Michael Ungar, a resilience expert as well as
the Founder and Director of the Resilience Research Centre at Dalhousie University.
Dr. Ungar spoke on his model of resilience, which emphasizes the importance of
external as well as internal supports to improve the outcomes of individuals who have
experienced adversity. According to Dr. Ungar, the presence of a multiple-faceted
support system increases the resilience of an individual and gives them a greater ability
to cope with the stressors in their lives, especially in their youth.

An expert panel discussion following the conversation included Tera Carter, CPS,
WHMC, Skyland Trail Alumni Coordinator; Linda Grabbe, PhD, Emory University School
of Nursing Professor Emeritus; and Ben Hunter, MD, Skyland Trail Charles B. West
Chief Medical Officer.

The goal of the annual Dorothy C. Fuqua Lecture Series is to amplify the voices of
mental health experts and individuals with lived experience to highlight mental health as
an issue of importance in Atlanta and across the country. The lecture series honors the
late Dorothy Chapman Fuqua, former board member and benefactor of Skyland Trail,
and is made possible by Duvall and Rex Fuqua and Edwina and Tom Johnson.

Click the following link to view the panelist’s discussion from the Dorothy C. Fuqua Lecture: https://youtu.be/HcEAhEuJguU