National Mentoring Month is a time to recognize the role that mentors play in the lives of their mentees. Mentors come in many forms, and at Alliance, there is a cyclical nature of mentorship, where mentees become mentors to others.
Check out our inspiring mentor-mentee pairs from Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center!
Floyd Mitchell, Harm Reduction Assistant Manager at Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center, gained his knowledge by simply accepting the journey. He has been in this field since 1988 at the height of the AIDS epidemic, and his knowledge has helped dozens—probably hundreds—of people along their path.
Celeste Callender started volunteering with the organization in September 2011 when the organization was called the AIDS Service Center. She graduated from PREP (cycle 35). Having a history of substance use, she began volunteering at and frequenting Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center when it merged with Alliance. She would make and distribute kits and even help out in the kitchen. She took dozens of trainings, where she met LESHRC staff including Floyd, Perla Romero, and others.
"Just talking to Mr. Mitchell I learned so much, his knowledge is so worldly,” said Celeste. “When I shared my experiences, he was like 'oh you used to live here, I know exactly where that is'...I felt so safe opening up to him about all things, he gave me so much advice, he's been where I've been, he's a mentor....he won't say it but he is the man!"
Celeste spoke of both Floyd’s intellectual and emotional intelligence, and how that has helped her grow, and Floyd could only say the same about his mentees.
“[My mentees] inspire me because I get to watch them work through painful moments and yet they get up and go about their day, and sometimes it helps me to get up and do the work,” said Floyd. “There is nothing like helping someone help themself and save someone's life. Sometimes it happens so quickly that you don’t understand or notice that someone was on the brink of expiring, and you had a part in helping them.”
Celeste Callender
Perla Romero, Outreach & Linkage to Care Senior Manager is, among many other things, the hepatitis C group Coordinator in Prevention Services. Over the past four years, she has invited and encouraged Celeste to realize her own power as a leader, co-facilitating the hepatitis C group.
“Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center has always had a homey feel, and in-person groups were important to restore that. Celeste has been a leader in the hepatitis C group that I supervise. She has really grown and taken ownership of the group, and it's been our group with the most consistent participation since we resumed in-person meetings, and that's because of Celeste and our other Peer leaders.
“Celeste’s been an important part of that team that we need to rely on during this time,” she added. “She used to be more hesitant to speak up but now she's blossomed into a leader.”
“I felt like I was one of them, I fit in, and after listening to me sharing my experiences, it clicked, and I felt like I have a lot of information and I'm very resourceful,” said Celeste.
According to Floyd, Celeste is very cognizant of the fact that substance use counseling and harm reduction counseling are not always the same thing. Not everyone is seeking sobriety, some are just trying to live their life safely. “Celeste makes time to discuss with people about harm reduction and she always is patient and eager to have these conversations.”
"Pre-pandemic, Perla and others saw something in me and asked me to speak on the phone with clients and check in on their physical and mental health needs, they entrusted me with a client list all throughout COVID-19 and helped me write reports. I didn't know the administrative work, but they helped me understand it,” said Celeste.
She used to be shy and reluctant to speak, she is now verbal and chooses to share her knowledge and experiences with others.
“It has been amazing watching Celeste work through painful moments and decide to get up and go about her day,” said Floyd. "I have learned from her to persevere and continue to do the work that you want to do."