Voices from ROOM: A Podcast for Analytic Action The Weight of Silence with Kissu Taffere
Oct 16, 2025
Kissu Taffere, a licensed clinical social worker specializing in BIPOC and immigrant communities, shares her insights on the power of silence. After being laid off post-2016 election, she penned an impactful essay on silence's role in resisting authoritarianism. Kissu discusses how immigrant experiences shape perceptions of silence as a protective strategy and its crucial role in trauma therapy. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing patterns of repression to foster change and advocates for persistent work toward collective dignity.
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Laid Off Sparked Writing
- Kissu was laid off from a refugee resettlement organization soon after the Trump administration began, which freed time for her to write her essay.
- A meeting where a moderator softened her naming of colonization prompted her to reflect on how silence is enforced.
Silence Often Becomes The Default
- Silence can be normalized as a default even in democratic societies, making authoritarian dynamics feel distant.
- Recognizing enforced silence requires sensitivity and an 'antenna' to detect subtle social cues.
ID Card Fears And Full Circle
- Kissu recalls parental fear about listing ethnicity on an ID to avoid being targeted.
- Decades later that same ID became the only document proving family identity when questioned at a border.
