The Voice - Winter 2024

Quarterly Newsletter for Consortium Employees

From Winter to Spring, and as we transition in, you’ll find great inspiration in this edition of The Voice!

Thanks to Social Justice and Spiritual Care Director, Reverend Gregory Jones, and all our programs and communities for creating the space for us to honor Black History Month! Numerous celebrations and learning opportunities were held throughout February, and all were well attended and appreciated! And in this month of March, we honor Women’s History Month and acknowledge the opportunity for this celebration including International Women’s Day.

With Daylight Savings Time moving us an hour forward this weekend, we cannot help but think of Spring and what is ahead – green grass, warmer days and lighter coats! Simultaneously, we are also adjusting to changes in CDC guidelines for COVID exposure and recovery

Check out this link for find out more: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/p0301respiratory-virus.html

Spring also brings a time to consider our benefits as we prepare for annual insurance enrollment in May and June – have questions or input to provide us? We would love to hear about your experiences Also, this season has us appreciating our one-year anniversary with Trauma Informed Hampshire County – check out their upcoming film showing of “The Disruptors” and our upcoming 20th West Region Self Advocacy Conference in June!

So many great things happening across the Consortium – I’m excited for you to read about the great work happening in Wildflower Alliance including a very meaningful Alternatives to Suicide learning opportunity; also, some new and interesting activities are happening at the Northampton Recovery Center, and I LOVE hearing directly from community members at RECOVER Project. What a FUN time at Home & Community Connections’ Valentine’s Party for folks we support and their families Speaking of fun, Support Network had a great fundraising event that they shared with folks We are also honoring Maria Santos being with us for 20 years – she is amazing! Also, Agency Orientation coming up next in May – if you haven’t been, now is the time to join, you’ll be glad you did!

Thank you for showing up in all the ways you do! We’re so grateful you are here, now. Please read on and enjoy!

In Community,

Kristel

H o m e & C o m m u n i t y C o nn e c t i o ns he l d a V a l e nt i ne ’ s P a r t y f o r f o l k s w e s u p p o r t a nd t h e i r f a m i l i e s d u r i n g F e b r u a r y a t U ni o n S t a t i o n B a n q u e t H a l l i n N o r t h a m p t o n. L . O . V . E . ( L i v i ng O u r V a l u e s E v e r y d a y ) e m p o w e r s i n d i v i d u a l s t o l i v e t he l i v e s t h e y l o v e e v e r y d a y !

B i g T h a nk s t o t h o s e w h o w o r k e d h a r d t o m a k e t h i s e v e n t h a p p e n! S p e c i a l t h a n k s t o A nn W h e e l o c k , E l e c t r o n i c R e c o r d s C o o r d i n a t o r , f o r a l l o f h e r t e r i f f i c i d e a s a n d ha r d w o r k t o m a k e t h i s p o s s i b l e . F o l k s w e s u p p o r t e n j o y e d t hi s t i m e w i t h e a c h o t he r , t h e i r f a m i l i e s , a nd o u r a m a z i ng H o m e & C o m m u n i t y C o nn e c t i o n s t e a m m e m b e r s ! I t w a s g r e a t t o ha v e s o m e C o ns o r t i u m B o a r d M e m b e r s j o i n u s a s w e l l ! H e r e a r e s o m e p i c t u r e s f r o m t h i s w o nd e r f u l e v e nt !

Lift Every Voice: Black History In Community Lift Every Voice: Black History In Community

The Consortium community gathered in February to celebrate Black History Month with a celebration that focused on African Americans in the Arts: Honoring the Impact that Black Americans have had on Visual Arts, Music, Cultural Movements, and more. As we move forward together, we must not forget the significant contributions and advancements made by Black Americans to our collective history. We must raise every voice and share the wisdom, stories, and experiences of our community every day. It's not just our mission, but our reality, and we should continue to embrace it.

Robert Nelson, Director of Operations

Micheal Zurita, IT Coordinator

We wanted to provide you with a brief update to our recent Information Technology system changes across the Consortium.

O v e r t he l a s t t hr e e m o nt hs , w e e m b a r k e d o n a s i g ni f i c a nt I T m i g r a t i o n j o u r ne y , t o u p d a t e o u r t e c hni c a l s u p p o r t f o r e m p l o y e e s a nd c r e a t e t he o p p o r t u ni t y t o a c c e s s I T t o o l s f r o m a ny l o c a t i o n, e v e n b e y o nd o u r 2 9 l o c a t i o ns . T hi s p r o j e c t , s p a nni ng a c r o s s 6 m o nt hs , w a s d e s i g ne d t o c o m p r e he ns i v e l y e nha nc e o u r I T i nf r a s t r u c t u r e , s t r e ng t he n p r o c e s s e s , a nd o u r c o nt i nu e d f o c u s o n i nno v a t i o n a nd c o nt i nu o u s i m p r o v e m e nt

O u r I T c o ns u l t a nt c o m p a ny C l e a r C o m , ha d r e c o m m e nd e d w e c o ns i d e r t r a ns i t i o ni ng f r o m a n o n- p r e m i s e s e r v e r t o ha v i ng a l l o f o u r i nf o r m a t i o n a c c e s s i b l e f r o m t he C l o u d . C l e a r C o m i s s u p p o r t i ng u s i n o u r e v o l v i ng ne e d s a nd t he d e m a nd s o f a d y na m i c t e c hno l o g i c a l l a nd s c a p e . T he p r o c e s s k i c k e d o f f w i t h a t ho r o u g h e v a l u a t i o n o f o u r e x i s t i ng I T i nf r a s t r u c t u r e , i d e nt i f y i ng a r e a s f o r i m p r o v e m e nt i n I T e q u i p m e nt m a na g e m e nt , s o f t w a r e u t i l i z a t i o n, a nd d a t a s t o r a g e s o l u t i o ns

A p i v o t a l a s p e c t o f t hi s m i g r a t i o n w a s t he f o c u s o n e m p l o y e e e ng a g e m e nt a nd t r a i ni ng , e ns u r i ng o u r t e a m i s e q u i p p e d w i t h t he s k i l l s a nd k no w l e d g e t o l e v e r a g e ne w t e c hno l o g i e s e f f e c t i v e l y .

We a p p r e c i a t e e v e r y o ne p r o v i d i ng f e e d b a c k a nd a s k i ng g r e a t q u e s t i o ns a s t hi s ha s b e e n c e nt r a l i n g u i d i ng o u r c o l l e c t i v e d e c i s i o ns a nd a d j u s t m e nt s t hr o u g ho u t t he m i g r a t i o n p r o c e s s . A s w e r e v i e w e d o u r p r o g r e s s a nd p l a nne d f o r t he f u t u r e , o u r a i m w a s t o no t o nl y a d d r e s s c u r r e nt I T c ha l l e ng e s b u t a l s o t o e x p l o r e i nno v a t i v e s o l u t i o ns t ha t p o s i t i o n u s f o r l o ngt e r m s u c c e s s A s w e c o nc l u d e t hi s p ha s e o f o u r I T m i g r a t i o n p r o j e c t , w e a r e g r a t e f u l f o r y o u r p a t i e nc e a nd , t o g e t he r , l e t u s c e l e b r a t e t he s t r i d e s w e ' v e m a d e t o w a r d s a m o r e s e c u r e , e f f i c i e nt , a nd p r o g r e s s i v e t e c hno l o g i c a l e nv i r o nm e nt . T hi s j o u r ne y u nd e r s c o r e s t he C o ns o r t i u m ' s d e d i c a t i o n t o p r o v i d i ng t he b e s t p o s s i b l e r e s o u r c e s a nd s u p p o r t t o o u r t e a m , e na b l i ng u s t o b e t t e r a c hi e v e o u r m i s s i o n We k no w t he r e a r e s t i l l hu r d l e s a nd o ng o i ng l e a r ni ng - a nd i t w i l l t a k e s o m e t i m e t o a d j u s t , b u t w e ' r e g r a t e f u l f o r t he s u c c e s s w e ha v e t hu s f a r t o w a r d c r e a t i ng g r e a t e r a c c e s s a nd e a s e f o r a l l .

S t a y t u ne d f o r m o r e u p d a t e s a s w e c o nt i nu e t o a d v a nc e o u r I T c a p a b i l i t i e s a nd e m b r a c e t he p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f t he d i g i t a l a g e .

by: Tara Kuzmeskus

The RECOVER Project is a peer participatory program. As such, we thought that it was important to invite the community members, from a peer-topeer perspective to participate in our submission to the Voice. We had an informal Q&A where we asked them, “What do you love about the RP?”

Here are their responses...

Unified to End Genocide Unified to End Genocide

G e no c i d e i s a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y r e c o g ni z e d c r i m e w h e r e a c t s a r e c o m m i t t e d w i t h t h e i n t e n t t o d e s t r o y , i n w ho l e o r i n p a r t , a na t i o n a l , e t h ni c , r a c i a l , o r r e l i g i o u s g r o u p .

T he w o r d “ g e n o c i d e ” d i d no t e x i s t p r i o r t o 1 9 4 4 . I t i s a v e r y s p e c i f i c t e r m c o i n e d b y a P o l i s h - J e w i s h l a w y e r na m e d R a p ha e l L e m k i n ( 1 9 0 0 – 1 9 5 9 ) w h o s o u g h t t o d e s c r i b e N a z i p o l i c i e s o f s y s t e m a t i c m u r d e r d u r i n g t he H o l o c a u s t , i nc l u d i ng t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f E u r o p e a n J e w s H e f o r m e d t h e w o r d g e no c i d e b y c o m b i n i ng g e n o, f r o m t he G r e e k w o r d f o r r a c e o r t r i b e , w i t h - c i d e , f r o m t he L a t i n w o r d f o r k i l l i n g .

Tokyo Baldwin, C a r e e r I ni t i a t i v e C o o r d i na t o r f o r t h e Wildflower Alliance w r o t e a b o o k t o s h e d l i g h t o nt o a r e a s o f o u r e x i s t e n c e t h a t d e s e r v e m o r e r e c o g n i t i o n T o k y o s h a r e s he r l i v e d e x p e r i e nc e a n d i d e a s f o r u ni f i c a t i o n:

“ We a s h u m a ns w o u l d u l t i m a t e l y r e a c h o u r f u l l p o t e nt i a l i f w e u ni f i e d . D u e t o i nd o c t r i n a t i o n a n d a d a s h o f Wi l l i e L y nc h , w e a l l h a v e t u r ne d a b l i nd e y e t o o u r n e i g hb o r s a n d p o t e n t i a l f r i e n d s . We ha v e b e e n t a u g h t t o a c c e p t t he b a r e m i ni m a l a s h u m a ns . ” s h e n o t e d . We ha v e l e a r n e d t o p r o m o t e s y s t e m i c a l l y o p p r e s s i v e s y s t e m s t ha t w e a r e A L L s u b j e c t t o . S y s t e m s t ha t s o m e o f u s d o no t s u r v i v e . M y f e a r i s t ha t t hr o u g h a l l o f t hi s d i v i s i o n w e m a y h a v e a c t u a l l y c o m e t o b e l i e v e t h a t t h e r e i s n o o t he r w a y t o l i v e . B u t , no t hi ng c o u l d b e f a r t he r f r o m t he t r u t h

We a r e a l l o n e a n d d e r i v e f r o m t h e s a m e e ne r g y s o u r c e . T h a t i s a s c i e n t i f i c f a c t . S o b e b r a v e ! J o i n m e i n l i b e r a t i n g y o u r s e l f f r o m o u r s o c i e t a l no r m s . T e a r d o w n t h e b o u nd a r i e s t h a t h a v e k e p t u s f r o m b e i ng o u r b e s t s e l v e s . We c a n o n l y d o t h i s t o g e t h e r a n d w i t h l o v e ”

By: Jesse Buckley

The NRC is introducing two new groups to our weekly schedule.

T he f i r s t i s M o v e m e nt & M e d i t a t i o n, a m i nd f u l ne s s g r o u p o n M o nd a y m o r ni n g s t ha t i n c l u d e s he a l i n g m o v e m e n t a n d a g u i d e d s i t t i n g m e d i t a t i o n . T h a t g r o u p m e e t s M o nd a y s a t 1 0 a m i n t h e m a i n a c t i v i t y r o o m , a l l a r e w e l c o m e .

T he s e c o n d n e w g r o u p i s a 9 w e e k p i l o t o f a F o o d R e c o v e r y M e e t i n g . M o d e l e d a f t e r t h e A l l R e c o v e r y M e e t i ng , t h e g r o u p i s a n e d u c a t i o n a l a n d d i s c u s s i o nb a s e d s u p p o r t f o r p e o p l e w i t h f o o d a d d i c t i o n s o r t ho s e e x p e r i e nc i ng o t he r c ha l l e n g e s w i t h e a t i ng p a t t e r ns T he g r o u p w i l l r u n f r o m 2 / 7 - 4 / 3 w i t h a p o s s i b l e e x t e n s i o n b a s e d o n i nt e r e s t . N o t e b o o k s a n d r e s o u r c e s w i l l b e p r o v i d e d ; c o m e f o r o n e o r a l l o f t he s e s s i o n s , a l l a r e w e l c o m e . T h a nk y o u H e i d i a n d J a ne f o r i n t r o d u c i ng a nd f a c i l i t a t i ng t h e s e g r o u p s !

The Northampton Recovery Center is thrilled to welcome its newest addition to the staff team; Alison Ernst! Alison, a peer with over 40 years of lived experience in recovery, joins us as our new Assistant Director. Alison brings not only her lived recovery experience, but an administrative history from her 30 years as a librarian, and a passion for the Peer Process and Peer Recovery. Alison joined us at the end of September and has been settling in nicely

“I’m so happy to be a part of The Northampton Recovery Center team, and glad to be working with our community. This Center provides such a wonderful array of programs that enrich the lives of those who participate. I continue to learn more about multiple pathways of Recovery, which I find interesting and compelling That’s really what it’s all about: learning something new, one day at a time.”

Alison shares We are excited to have Alison with the NRC!

After winter, must come spring, with longer days and greener trees, here is a Spring-inspired meal idea (as seen in Food & Wine.com to help suit your needs.

Chicken,Potatoes,andLeekswithPineNutGremolata

Ingredients

Gremolata

1smallbunchfreshflat-leafparsleyleavesandtenderstems,toughstemendsremoved ⅓cuppinenuts,toasted

1tablespoongratedlemonzest(from1largelemon)

1largegarlicclove,finelychopped(about1teaspoon)

¼teaspoonkoshersalt

Chicken

1½poundsYukonGoldpotatoes(about4mediumpotatoes),peeled,quarteredlengthwise, andcutinto1/2-inch-thickwedges

3mediumleeks,cutcrosswiseinto3/4-inch-thickpieces(about4cups)

1garlichead,clovesseparatedandpeeled(10to12cloves)

¼cupextra-virginoliveoil,divided 1½teaspoonskoshersalt,divided ½teaspoonblackpepper,divided ½cupchickenbroth

4poundsbone-in,skin-onchickenthighsandlegs(about12pieces),trimmed

Directions

Makethegremolata:

1

Combineparsley,pinenuts,lemonzest,andgarliconacuttingboard Sprinklewithsalt,and finelychopmixturetogether.Transfergremolatatoabowl,andsetaside.

Makethechicken:

1 Arrangechickenpieces,skinsideup,ontopofvegetablemixtureinroastingpan.Brushchicken evenlywithremaining2tablespoonsoil;sprinkleevenlywithremaining1/2teaspoonsaltand remaining1/4teaspoonpepper.

Preheatovento400°Fwithrack8inchesfromheat Arrangepotatoes,leeks,andgarliccloves in bottom of a large broiler-safe roasting pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with 1 teaspoonsaltand1/4teaspoonpepper Tosstocoat Pourbrothintoroastingpan

2 Roast in preheated oven on rack 8 inches from heat until vegetables are tender and a thermometerinsertedinthickestportionofchickenregisters165°F,40to45minutes,spooning panjuicesoverchickenafterabout20minutes

3 Increaseoventemperaturetobroil.(Donotremoveroastingpanfromoven.)Broiluntilchicken skinisgoldenbrown,about5minutes Removefromoven,andletcool10minutes

5.

4. Transfer chicken pieces and vegetables to a platter. Spoon sauce from roasting pan over chicken; scatter generously with gremolata (about 3/4 cup). Serve hot alongside any remaininggremolataforsprinkling.

The next Agency Orientation will take place on Wednesday, May 1st, 2024 from 10am-12pm!

Agency Orientation is an organization-wide opportunity for both new employees and employees who have never experienced an Agency Orientation. All employees who have never attended an Agency Orientation, are encouraged to attend. Be in the “know“ of what our organization‘s mission and vision really mean. Share your lived experience and get to know your team members from our programs and communities! Your voice matters, and your choice to be a part of real societal change matters. We focus on inclusion, so we look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at our next Agency Orientation on May 1st!

Understanding YourBenefits

T o t a l C a r e E A P i s o u r E m p l o y e e

A s s i s t a n c e P r o g r a m t ha t i s a b e ne f i t t o a l l f u l l - t i m e C o n s o r t i u m

E m p l o y e e s . I t p r o v i d e s a c c e s s t o p r o b l e m - s o l v i ng s o l u t i o n s a nd l i f e e nha n c e m e n t b e ne f i t s .

C o u ns e l i n g b e ne f i t s i nc l u d e :

R e l a t i o ns hi p a nd f a m i l y i s s u e s

D e p r e s s i o n, s t r e s s , o r a n x i e t y

G r i e f o r l o s s o f l o v e d o ne

E a t i n g d i s o r d e r s o r s u b s t a nc e a b u s e

W o r k p l a c e d i f f i c u l t i e s

Wo r k / L i f e b e n e f i t s i n c l u d e :

D e b t C o u n s e l i ng a nd r e s t r u c t u r i ng

H e a l t h & We l l ne s s

C hi l d c a r e a n d e l d e r c a r e a s s i s t a n c e

R e a l E s t a t e a nd T e na n t / L a nd l o r d c o nc e r n s

P e t H e l p C e n t e r a nd m o r e .

For support call 1-800-252-4555 or visit www.theEAP.com

Meet Maria Santos

Quality Advancement & Human Rights Coordinator for Home & Community Connections!

Maria, has been with the consortium for over two decades. We celebrate Maria’s 2O years of service!

POSITION: PROGRAM DIRECTOR, Recovery Center of HOPE, Ware MA

T he R e c o v e r y C e nt e r o f H O P E ( R C H ) ha s a n e x c i t i ng l e a d e r s hi p o p p o r t u ni t y a t i t s c e nt e r i n Wa r e : ht t p s : / / w w w . r e c o v e r y c e nt e r o f ho p e . o r g .

R C H i s a d e v e l o p i ng p e e r r e c o v e r y s u p p o r t c e nt e r w i t h a w a r m a nd s u p p o r t i v e c u l t u r e . A l i g ne d w i t h t he C o ns o r t i u m ’ s m i s s i o n, a nd d e m o ns t r a t i ng a c o m m i t m e nt t o s o c i a l j u s t i c e , t he P r o g r a m D i r e c t o r w i l l ha v e t he o p p o r t u ni t y t o c o nt i nu e t o d e v e l o p a n e x p e r i e nc e d a nd c o l l a b o r a t i v e t e a m a s t he c e nt e r m o v e s i nt o a n e x c i t i ng a nd i m p o r t a nt t i m e o f ne w g r o w t h P r i m a r y r e s p o ns i b i l i t i e s o f t he R e c o v e r y C e nt e r o f H O P E P r o g r a m D i r e c t o r i nc l u d e c r e a t i ng c o nd i t i o ns f o r m e a ni ng f u l c o m m u ni t y e ng a g e m e nt t hr o u g h a p e e r p a r t i c i p a t o r y p r o c e s s , p r o g r a m a nd f u nd d e v e

Social Justice Social Justice

"HATE IS TOO MUCH OF A BURDEN TO BEAR. IT INJURES THE HATER MORE THAN IT INJURES THE HATED." CORETTA SCOTT KING

BOOK OF THE QUARTER

Between The World and Me

by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Trauma Informed Hampshire County

Trauma Informed Hampshire County

In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden?

Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares with his son and readers the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward You can find this and other books in the Social Justice Library located on the 3rd floor of the Holyoke Office.

For more information, please send an email to Rev. Greg Jones, Director of Social Justice and Spiritual Care at gjones@wmtcinfo org

A D H D a f f e c t s 1 0 % o f y o u ng p e o p l e a nd c o nt i nu e s t o f i nd i nc r e a s e d nu m b e r s i n a d u l t s . T r a u m aI nf o r m e d H a m p s hi r e C o u nt y w i l l

b e p r e s e nt i ng “ T he D i s r u p t o r s ” , a

t ho u g ht - p r o v o k i ng f i l m a b o u t

A D H D w i t h a n o p e n d i s c u s s i o n g u i d e d b y D a v i d K i e v a l , C l i ni c a l

P s y c ho l o g i s t a t C S O , f o l l o w i ng

a f t e r t he s c r e e ni ng .

is Putting the ‘Fun’ back into Fundraising! is Putting the ‘Fun’ back into Fundraising!

O n F r i d a y , M a r c h 1 s t , R a y m o u r a nd F l a ni g a n g e ne r o u s l y ho s t e d a B I N G O N i g ht f u n d r a i s i ng e v e n t i n S p r i ng f i e l d , M A o n B o s t o n R d . , w i t h p r o c e e d s g o i ng t o T h e S u p p o r t N e t w o r k ! C o ns o r t i u m t e a m m e m b e r s w e r e t h e r e t o s u p p o r t a n d e n g a g e w i t h c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s . W ha t a f u n t i m e f o r a l l ! We w o u l d l i k e t o e x t e nd a s p e c i a l t ha nk s t o T e r e s a a nd R i c k f o r i nv i t i n g u s a nd t o t h o s e C o ns o r t i u m e m p l o y e e s t ha t a t t e n d e d . We a r e s o g r a t e f u l t o e v e r y o ne f o r t h e i r s u p p o r t ! We ha d 5 4 p e o p l e a t t e nd a n d w i t h G r e t c he n a nd S ha w n a c a l l i n g t h e nu m b e r s a nd D i o s d a d o k e e p i ng t he B I N G O b a l l s m o v i ng , w e w e r e a w e l l o i l e d m a c h i ne ! T he r e w a s l o t s o f l a u g h t e r a n d p l e nt y o f w i nne r s , b u t t he S u p p o r t N e t w o r k w a s d e f i ni t e l y t he b i g w i nn e r w i t h o v e r $ 1 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 d o na t e d t o u s ! W e ho p e w e g e t t h e c ha nc e t o d o i t a g a i n! F o r a ny o n e i n t e r e s t e d i n f i nd i ng o u t m o r e a b o u t R a y m o u r a nd F l a n i g a n ’ s B I N G O ni g ht s , y o u c a n r e a c h o u t t o R i c k P e r e z a t R P e r e z @ r a y m o u r f l a ni g a n. c o m .

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE WINNERS!!!

20 YEARS OF SELF ADVOCACY!

T he 20th Annual Massachusetts West Region Self Advocacy Conference w i l l t a k e p l a c e

B y C a r o l i ne - M a z e l - C a r l t o n, Wi l d f l o w e r A l l i a nc e

There are nearly 2 million people incarcerated in the United States... 1,650 of them live at Pendleton Correctional Facility in Central Indiana.

Suicide rates are already much higher in prison than in the general population...Pendleton's are the highest of any prison in the state. As a Level Three maximum security prison, sentences are long and environments are extremely restricted. Some people remain in their cells 23 hours a day. Locked down cell blocks are loud, yet deeply lonely.

Despite living in this extremely tough environment, these 25 men are committed to building community & support within Pendleton's walls.

They represent the first incarcerated individuals to ever complete an "Alternatives to Suicide" training. Together we grappled with applying "Alt2Su" values to situations of extreme despair; ones that many mental health providers will never face.

T he y t a l k e d a b o u t d i g ni t y , b e i ng e m o t i o na l l y r e a l , a nd t he p a r t i c u l a r i m p o r t a nc e o f v a l i d a t i ng

s p i r i t u a l i t y i n m o m e nt s w he r e no o t he r t y p e o f c o nne c t i o n o r s u p p o r t i s a v a i l a b l e .

I n t he c r i m i na l l e g a l s y s t e m , t he f o c u s i s o n d i c t a t i ng t o p e o p l e w ha t t he y " d e s e r v e " . I n A l t e r n a t i v e s t o S u i c i d e , w e a s k p e o p l e w ha t t he y ne e d

M a s s i nc a r c e r a t i o n r e m a i ns o ne o f t he b i g g e s t t hr e a t s t o S o c i a l J u s t i c e i n t he U ni t e d S t a t e s P a r t i c i p a nt s i n t he t r a i ni ng r e m a r k e d t ha t t he A l t e r na t i v e s t o S u i c i d e m o d e l he l p e d r e t u r n t o t he m a s e ns e o f a c c e p t a nc e a nd p u r p o s e t ha t t he y ha d l o s t . T he y s ha r e d t ha t t he Wi l d f l o w e r A l l i a nc e f a c i l i t a t o r s s ha r i ng t he i r l i v e d e x p e r i e nc e w a s he l p f u l t o c r e a t e a no nj u d g m e nt a l e nv i r o nm e nt a r o u nd t he e x p e r i e nc e o f i nc a r c e r a t i o n.

O ne m a n na m e d L o o m i s w r o t e , " T ha nk y o u f o r s ho w i ng m e t ha t s ha m e c a n b e b e a t e n. T ha nk y o u f o r i ns p i r i ng m e t o b e l i e v e i n hu m a ni t y a g a i n. "

C hr i s a nd I w e r e e x c i t e d t o c o l l a b o r a t e w i t h ne w I nd i a na - b a s e d a p p r e nt i c e t r a i ne r , B r a nd y A nd e r s o n- Wi l l i s B r a nd y f a c i l i t a t e s t he l o ng e s tr u nni ng " A l t e r na t i v e s t o S u i c i d e " g r o u p i n I nd i a na i n S o u t h B e nd a nd i s p a s s i o na t e a b o u t s u p p o r t i ng p e o p l e w ho a r e i nc a r c e r a t e d o r r e c e nt l y r e l e a s e d f r o m i nc a r c e r a t i o n.

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Information to Know

Registering to vote takes less than five minutes. Simply visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s online voter registration page and follow the simple instructions. Not sure if you’re registered to vote or if you’re registered at the right address? Use this website to check.

Important Dates to Remember

Deadline to register to vote is 10 days before the election, February 24, 2024.

The 2024 Massachusetts presidential primary will take place on March 5, 2024.

The General Election will take place on November 5, 2024.

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