Being Valued for My Lived Experience

I’m a member of my own community, right? So I identify as a drug user. I went to school and I got an amazing Executive Director that really troubleshooted quite a bit with how to find a place for me within the organization. And so I recognize that that’s not available in every organization and that the way, like, funding and structures and policies are set up – sometimes there is a lot of barriers to access for drug users and people with lived experience to be able to take on professional roles. Even peers to develop into a harm reduction coordinator role – that’s a huge step. And so being able to do this work as a member of my community, I’m also able to share that piece with folks and give folks the same education and treatment and privileges that I received from having great bosses that gave me those opportunities.