Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m Joseph and I’m from New York City. I was raised in Queens. I dropped out of school in seventh grade but later got my GED and went to college. I was proud to be the first in my family to do that.
I’m an entertainer, I love entertaining. I’ve been a dancer and a choreographer for over 40 years. I’ve been in recovery for over 20 years now. I’m a member of, and a big believer in the organization Rehabilitation Through the Arts.
Let’s talk about it. What is Rehabilitation Through the Arts?
RTA is an organization for people serving time, like I was, who care about the arts. Some of them have a professional background like I’d had, and others don’t. But for people whose reason for staying sober is the arts, this is a supportive community. And when I went to an RTA meeting, I was asked to write answers to the question “Who am I?” and it was the hardest thing I ever did. I wrote something so deep, I couldn’t recite it without breaking down crying.
I’ve got this great network through RTA. They want me to come back and talk to prisoners about my experience. I would totally do that, but my schedule keeps me busy, and I need to preserve my wellness and not overburden myself.
Was trying to be sober the reason you started taking Suboxone [the medication widely prescribed for people with substance use dependency]? When did you start taking Suboxone?
No, I was already sober for many years. I was self-medicating with Suboxone. I had put my body through a lot with my addiction, and Suboxone helped the pain. I started buying illegal Suboxone in prison, and then when New York State legalized it for inmates, I got it legally.
Is there a big Suboxone market in prison? If so, why do you think that is?
Yeah there definitely is. I started buying it in 2012. I think a lot of people in prison want to stop using, but they know detox is rough. But they also want to get high, so it’s a tough balance. Suboxone kind of kills the high from opioids, so it’s like a waste of your money to take drugs if you’re also on Suboxone, which a lot of people in prison found out the hard way.
What do you think is a big reason people who want to be sober struggle with it, with or without Suboxone?
Pain. Emotional or physical pain. Or a lot of times it’s both. In my situation, it was more about loving the lifestyle of party, party, party, and then not being able to deal with the comedown.
When you were using drugs, what were your drugs of choice?
I used a lot of cocaine. It came with the lifestyle, I was a professional breakdancer in the 1980s. I got introduced to coke on tour. Whenever I’d snort, I’d get these awful nose bleeds, so I freebased. And I got into a vicious cycle of robbing and stealing to buy cocaine and going to prison. I finally had enough during my last time in jail.
When did you start coming to Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center?
When I was released from prison. Alliance has a great program that helps people adjust to life outside. My guys Ruben and Eugene really helped me out, and when we talked Suboxone, they told me about the program here. So I’ve been seeing Dr. Jeffery for about two years now, he checks in on my response to Suboxone.
Are you accessing any other services here?
No, not really. I work full-time, although I’m currently on medical leave after having hip surgery. I actually refused a prescription of Oxys after my surgery, and I’ve just kept moving, and I’m healing up great. But no, my reentry program was about six months, and after that I’ve stuck to the Suboxone program with Dr. Jeffery. Great guy. I completely trust him.
I ask because I know a lot of people in recovery need stability and groups are helpful for them.
Yes, absolutely. I’m all about stability, I have my little routines. And I’ve got a great support system in my life right now. I’m in a good relationship. I’m healing up and doing some choreography. I go back to work in a few weeks. And I’m a dog owner.