Page 20 - Adelante Magazine June 2022

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THE VALUE OF RECOVERY SERVICES FOR THE
TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY

Estrella, our patient for many years, addicted to drugs, on the verge of
was certainly a handful. She came being homeless, and transitioning
to the clinic high, came when she into living in my authenticity I had to
was coming down, and once even cope with the rejection of most of
shot up in the clinic restroom. She my loved ones on that day I walked
was talkative and friendly and would into a St. Johnʼs clinic asking for
tell us stories of her life and her help.
problems with her married
boyfriend. With time, I became a different
woman and my fears transmuted
That was until they found her into empowerment. I want to share
passed away in an alley behind a my story with the people out there
7‐Eleven in Downtown Los Angeles living in struggles, pain, fear and
of an overdose. who are trapped in the alley of
hopelessness to convey a simple
The devastating effects of addiction message: “If I succeed anyone can.
are disproportionately increased Donʼt give up because there is
within the transgender community, always hope”.
who face discrimination and
violence in their daily lives. This in Through her lived experience she
turn leads to engaging in higher risk wants to make a difference for the
activities, such as sex work and Transgender community because
increased dependence on when she was trying to get clean,
substances. This creates a vicious there was no representation in the
circle of discrimination, prejudice, recovery community. She believes
stress, and substance use that that it is important for her to be out
many find difficult to break free and visible to serve as a beacon of
from. hope for Transgender individuals
seeking recovery and that recovery
This particularly affects transgender is a lifelong process. She wants
youth the most, with trans youth people to know that there is support
being 12% more likely to abuse for them.
drugs than their cisgender counter-
parts, and three times more likely to Through the T.A.R.A. group and St.
use substances such as ecstasy, Johnʼs we can provide referrals to
cocaine, heroin, and meth. rehab centers, residential treatment
programs, counseling, and sober
It is incidents such as this that illus- events specifically for the trans-
trate the need for recovery services gender community.
in the Transgender community. At
St. Johnʼs, we have started a For Jennifer, recovery means a
support group specifically for the series of steps on the journey rather
Trans community named “Trans than a race to the end.
Addressing Recovery and
Addiction.” “Y yo como Latina quiero
comparatir mi esperanza” Yes,
This group was started by Jennifer recovery is possible. “si se puede”
Rodriguez, who started as a Peer
Recovery Specialist and was Authors:
recently promoted to the Clinic Kazumi Yamaguchi,
Manager position at the St. Johnʼs Associate Director, Transgender
clinic at Dominguez High School. Health Program
kyamaguchi@wellchild.org
Jennifer has her own story to tell.
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Clinic Manager – Dominguez,
“When I found myself in a dark
jerodriguez@wellchild.org
place while learning to live with HIV,
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