We wanted to share with you some excerpts from the spoken word narrative of our upcoming performance How We Found Hope. These stories are from people in our very community. They are our sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, friends, lovers, etc. Most of us have struggled with addiction or love someone who is an addict. This is not just one persons story, but all. A story of how we experienced the hell of addiction and how we found hope.

Excerpts from How We Found Hope

It is my secret. It is with me now; it will be in my side pocket tomorrow, and in my back pocket on the following day. It lives in my skin wielding my will.

I was responsible for her- my mother. I was her confidant. I tried to help. I wanted to give up but I couldn’t. I would die for her.

What if I am unworthy? I do not know what the light holds so I stay in the blackness, or walk through the pain of that light tearing down these walls. I scream, and it makes a crack, a crack for the light to come through.

Breathing feels good, I feel human. Some days its easy and some days it’s hard. I have to do it one second or one minute at a time but I found power -power that helps relieve my addiction and live in peace.