My name is Rafael. I’m originally from the Lower East Side. I’m currently staying by the McDonalds on Madison Street near here. I appreciate being able to come to Alliance LES Harm Reduction Center for safer use supplies, socks, and all that. I’m a participant in Alliance’s CHOICES program.
I got trained in how to use Narcan in 2004, by the LESHRC team at your old site on Allen Street. The first overdose I saw was in 2013. It happened to one of my friends. At the time, it was actually just heroin, no fentanyl or xylazine. Nowadays overdoses are a lot more common. Just today I had to use Narcan on my boyfriend. And yesterday I Narcan-ed someone else.
These days, I mostly use crack/cocaine. I go to the methadone clinic across the street from LESHRC, which helps me reduce cravings for heroin, but it doesn’t help with my emotional needs like coming here does, and of course they don’t give me the safer use kits I need, like the sterile syringes.
I’m a hard worker, I’ve done HVAC, roofing, anything that comes my way. I’m looking for more steady work, and I’m going to try to apply to Alliance’s Peer Recovery Education Program.
My boyfriend says I have so much potential and can manifest anything I put my mind to.”
I love helping people. I don’t get nervous or scared anymore when someone overdoses, because I’ve seen it so many times. I notice the way their body or face looks, and I ask them what their name is, where they are, to see if there’s any kind of response.
If I could share one message with people about drug use, it would be that it’s okay to ask for help. I train all my friends how to use Narcan and how to test drugs for fentanyl and xylazine. I love what y’all do here at LESHRC. You’ve helped me save dozens of people’s lives. I hope to work here one day and keep up the good work.