May 7, 2024 Intersections Conference: Featured Presenters and Attendees

On Tuesday, May 7th, BSAS hosted its inaugural Intersections: Equity and Engagement in Substance Use Services Conference. We captured the images and stories of a small sampling of presenters and attendees. Read on to learn more!

Heidi Lee (left) is a Certified Peer Specialist and a Detox/ATS Case Manager at Charles River Recovery in Weston, MA.

Heidi co-presented a workshop titled: Harnessing the Body’s Healing Potential: Recovery Through Somatic Modalities.

When asked what she likes about being a member of the workforce, she said: “Being a part of the community of those in recovery means I can do the greatest human thing: Give Back. So many people have helped me. It’s crazy in the best sense of the word to be among those who are intentionally lessening the harm and increasing goodness.”

Fabiola and Vivianne, Intersections Attendees

Fabiola Valdivia (left) started as a triage clinician at North Suffolk Community Services in Chelsea, MA and saw a big need for substance use services, especially in the Latinx community: back then they would refer out and there were long waitlists. She started the program, and her colleague, and Vivianne Nafio (right), joined as an outpatient clinician.

When asked about the Intersections Conference, Fabiola said: “I am very thankful that spaces like this exist. As part of the Latine/Hispanic community, things can feel isolating and less well-resourced [so it is good to learn] all the work that is happening [focused on our community].”

Vivianne said: “The conference is something to bring awareness for those without a voice and it’s important to advocate for those who need. Being able to network in ways that aren’t always available and being culturally aware [is important].”

Congratulations to Vivianne, who graduated with her MSW on May 15th, a week after the conference!

Ayorkor Gaba, PsyD (left), was one of several presenters in a workshop titled: For Us, By Us: A Community-based perspective on advancing behavioral health equity in treatment.

Dr. Gaba serves in the workforce as the Director of the Behavioral Health Equity Advancement Lab (B-HEAL) and the Equity Division at the Massachusetts Center of Excellence in Specialty Court.

“Recovery courts are an important part of advancing equity in the criminal legal system. We need to reach all by engaging community and community perspectives. Only then can we reach equity,” she said.

Dr. Gaba was joined by Co-Chair of the Community Advisory Board for Specialty Court, Andrew “Drew” Keaton (right).

When asked about what he liked about the Intersections conference, Drew said: “This is a great forum to have all the entities in one place. We need to have more of these spaces to highlight what communities in MA are doing.”

Dwight Hallet and Gilfrey Gregory, Intersections Presenters

This presentation also included the organization Project Last Stop in Springfield, MA, a program that works with people who were formerly incarcerated.

Mr Dwight Hallet (left), is an Outreach Coordinator with Project Last Stop, and he said “the conference was inspirational in giving me the tools and newfound respect in humanity.”

Gilfrey Gregory (right), is the Executive Director of Project Last Stop. He said “the conference was very informative. It invited a lot of people who are in this [substance use] field and on this journey to bring it back to the community. It’s a good reflection of what the community looks like.”

Jill Shanahan (she/her, right) co-presented in the workshop titled: “Queer Cultural Humility in Harm Reduction (and other!) Spaces. Jill is a Peer Grief Facilitator with SADOD.

When asked what she likes about being a member of the substance use and recovery workforce, Jill said, “I wanna offer the idea that we are living ancestors to each other and hold that close when we feel disconnected or isolated/siloed in work, there are others feeling similar. For people who are queer or isolated from family, ancestral lineage is so important. It’s how we keep people alive.”

Kristina Fenn Silver and Priestess Ziona Rivera, Intersections Presenters

Kristina Fenn Silver (left), Director of Tobacco Education and Treatment Projects at the Institute for Health and Recovery, co-presented a workshop titled: "Working with Communities to Have Conversations about the Heavy Burden of Tobacco/Nicotine Use" with Priestess Ziona Rivera (right), a Coalition member and peer worker.

Carolina Bonilla, Tyshaun Perryman, and Robert Scott, Intersections Presenters

BSAS Community Engagement Liaison Tyshaun “Tye” Perryman (center), worked with BSAS Spring interns Carolina Bonilla (left), an undergraduate at UMass Boston and Robert Scott, an MPH student at UMass Lowell, to develop and present a workshop titled “Identity and Substance Use Treatment/Recovery within the African American Community.”