Alliance’s Peer Recovery Education Program (PREP) Training launched in 1992 and has graduated over 1,500 people. PREP empowers people to learn more about health issues like HIV, safer sex, and substance use, bring prevention messages to their communities, and grow their careers.
The 58th PREP Graduation marked the first in-person graduation ceremony in almost three years and included a special address by Congressmember Carolyn B. Maloney, who was instrumental in securing federal funding for the program.
We spoke with four graduates to learn what motivated them to enroll in Alliance’s Peer program, and what was next for them.
Carmelo Adorno, at graduation, with Jean Pierre-Louis, and Joyce Myricks. Photo: David Nager/Alliance
Carmelo
Carmelo first came to Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center in 2015, to access sterile syringes and other harm reduction supplies and resources. LESHRC Peer Celeste—who values mentorship at Alliance—suggested he do some volunteer work with LESHRC and try to become a Peer.
“I’ve worked in customer service for years, and I’ve worked almost all the time since I’ve been out of prison. I started, but never finished college or my certificates like Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC)” he said. “I wanted to get into the social work field, and share my lived experience, so I could give back to society.”
During Peer training, the class was reviewing different health diagnoses when one classmate began to cry. “I was consoling her, and it made me feel good, useful,” he said. “That’s the way I’m hoping to make people feel when I can use the Peer training. Everyone in these sessions was honest about what afflictions they had, and what they wanted moving forward.”
Barbara Walker. Photo: David Nager/Alliance
Barbara
Barbara has always been open about her HIV status and was interested in sharing knowledge and empowerment with others. She got involved with Alliance as part of her transition back to community life after incarceration through Alliance’s Criminal Justice Initiative. Alliance’s Eugene Eppes was her case manager, helping her find stable housing, and checking in on her frequently.
Eugene notes that what’s special about Alliance is “we have so many specialized programs, we don’t have to refer someone out—we can refer them in.” And he did. Barbara accessed many Alliance programs, including trainings, The Positive Life Workshop, Women Involved in Life Learning from Other Women (WILLOW), and others, absorbing skills and knowledge to share with her community.
Barbara was diagnosed with HIV in 1996, while pregnant with her son. “I felt dirty, poisoned, ashamed. I didn’t hide it, but I didn’t speak about it at first. People looked at me funny, and I came to feel that it was better for me to be open in sharing my story, to tell people about myself, rather than them tell me about me with their preconceived notions,” she said.
Barbara hopes to become a case worker at Alliance or another nonprofit where she can work with people who’ve faced similar challenges.
Brittany Gomez. Photo: David Nager/Alliance
Brittany
One of our two graduation speakers, Brittany was the youngest member of training cycle 58. She was kicked out of her home at 17 and began using drugs, in her words, “chaotically.” Nine years ago, she stopped using.
“This was the first time I felt supported in a safe, learning environment,” says Brittany. “The atmosphere was important for me. No other agency gave me the level of support I got the second I walked through Alliance’s doors. What I didn’t get in middle school, high school, or anywhere else, I got from Alliance.”
Barbara became close with Brittany given their similar childhoods, “even though she’s two decades younger than me,” said Barbara. They encouraged each other throughout the five-week course.
Brittany wants to be a Peer Advocate and help people dealing with substance use, mental health crises, homelessness, and other health-related issues.
Havanna Knight Carey presenting for the class. Photo: David Nager/Alliance
Havanna
Havanna came to our Peer training seeking community and perspective. Havanna identifies as an Afro-Latina transwoman from the Bronx. A strong advocate for transwomen, she’d looked for opportunities to connect more with her community. At Alliance, she joined our Transgender Women Involved in Strategies for Transformation (TWIST) program, and then signed up for our Peer training.
“I was developing my transness, and needed something to help me feel like I was worthy, and contributing to society,” Havanna told us. She’s been frustrated by not seeing women like her in the private sector, where she has worked in retail management, as a certified welder, and in other trades. “Transwomen aren’t seen as worthy of being in leadership, and I wanted to dive into this community here at Alliance, where I can see women of the transgender experience, as well as the need for my perspective.”
Peer training helped Havanna learn about health issues—and about herself. She gained skills to explore her own emotional triggers, as she puts it, “my non-verbal cues—how I react to stress, and anger. My boyfriend sees the change in the way I communicate verbally and non-verbally. Other people see it too.”
“I never thought I could be in social work,” says Havanna, “but I learned so much about getting through to people, hearing their stories. They might not want to be ‘fixed,’ they just want to be heard. Peer training was the first time I really learned to use my listening skills.”
All graduates of the Cycle 58 Peer Training attended every single class. Anecdotes from Cycle 58 showcase the deep bond and moments of levity that they group shared together. Brittany wrote Carmelo a note at the end of the training, saying that she had learned a lot from him and to make sure he always keeps fighting. Barbara recalled a teambuilding experience where her team was asked to do an innovative educational presentation on safer sex. Partnering with Brittany, Charles, and Delon, she made the choice to demonstrate safe condom application on an ear of corn. Everyone loved it.
Learn more at alliance.nyc/path-to-jobs.