We store trauma in our bodies. Whether this trauma occurs from emotional, physical, or generational means. It creeps its way into the body to solidify, and affect our everyday lives, and our longevity. There are many ways to release this trauma, a good cry, talking through your problems and fortunes with friends, family, or a therapist, movement of the body through stretching, activating muscles by walking or jogging, and shaking the limbs by dancing in groups or alone. By utilizing the site, its histories, its existing programs, field, and form, a retreat buttresses the youth of Poughkeepsie who engage with trauma on a daily basis enlarged by systemic, and interpersonal racism.

With this in mind this project chooses to honor the sacred ground of Primus Martin’s home; a freed slave leader who became a beacon in his community, where foundations still lay under the soil. In concert to the memorial of the Primus site, a similar site of refuge is proposed on the east side of the site in an existing clearing in the forest. These two sites of trauma release are connected by a loop trail that currently exists on the land, and connects the past to project to the future trauma recuperation of youth in the community. Along this trail, or “string” are pearls of hot and cold plunges. The plunges work together with the memorial, the landscape, and the trauma release retreat to aid occupants in recovering their mind and body.