My Mantra: We Talk. We Share. We Learn.

  1. What inspired you to write On the Other Side of the Street?

I reached a point where I knew my story wasn’t just about me anymore. For years, I carried the weight of rock bottom, fought for recovery, and slowly rebuilt a life through resilience and reinvention. But there came a moment when I realized this journey wasn’t meant to stay locked inside me. It could be a mirror, a map, a lifeline for someone else sitting at their own curb, wondering if they have the strength to take that next step. Writing this book was my way of saying: you are not alone, and there is a road forward.

2. The title is very powerful. What does On the Other Side of the Street mean to you?

For me, the “street” is life itself — unpredictable, sometimes dangerous, often full of unknown crossings. The “curb” is where we end up when life knocks us flat — grief, loss, illness, addiction, broken identity. I know that place well. The other side isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about daring to step forward into the unknown. It’s where possibility lives, even when your knees are shaking.

3. Your story includes HIV, addiction, and recovery. How did those experiences shape your perspective on resilience?

Living through those experiences forced me to redefine resilience. It’s not about bouncing back to who you were before — that version of me was gone. Resilience meant piecing together a new life from the ashes of the old one. It meant allowing my scars to become a beginning, not an ending. Every setback taught me to keep moving, not in giant leaps, but one steady step at a time.

4. February 14, 2007 is a date you mention often. Why is that so significant?

That’s the day I chose sobriety — the day I put down the bottle and chose to live again. It wasn’t magic, and it wasn’t easy. But it was the moment I said, “enough.” Every year since, that date reminds me that life is made up of choices — and we always get another chance to choose. For me, February 14th isn’t just an anniversary; it’s a daily reminder that love, even for ourselves, can begin again.

5. What role does community play in your journey?

Community saved me. From recovery groups to the neighbors I live alongside at The Pryde, every circle of belonging has reminded me that we’re not meant to heal alone. When I tried to do it by myself, isolation nearly destroyed me. But when I allowed myself to be seen — to sit in rooms with others who knew pain and possibility — I found hope. Healing is not a solo act. We figure it out together, and community keeps us moving when our own strength runs out.

6. What do you hope readers take away from your book?

More than anything, I want readers to know they are not too far gone, not too broken, not too late. Whatever “curb” you’re sitting on, your story isn’t over. There’s another side waiting for you — not perfect, not easy, but alive with possibility. If this book gives even one person the courage to rise, dust themselves off, and take that first step forward, then it’s done its work.

7. How does your R4 Style framework fit into this memoir?

This memoir is the living, breathing example of R4 Style — Rock Bottom, Recovery, Resilience, and Reinvention. Those aren’t just abstract ideas; they’re the stages I lived through. Each chapter shows how those phases unfolded in my life, and I wrote them in a way that invites readers to reflect on their own. My hope is that R4 Style becomes not just my framework, but a tool readers can use to understand and reshape their own journey.

8. Writing a memoir can be deeply personal. Was there a hardest part to put into words?

Absolutely. The hardest part was admitting the depth of my addiction — the shame, the hiding, the damage I caused myself. But telling the truth is what broke the silence that was suffocating me. Once I spoke it out loud, I felt freer, lighter. And I realized that by owning my story, I could give others permission to own theirs, without shame.

9. You’ve been an educator and facilitator for years. How does storytelling connect to teaching and healing?

Storytelling is how we make sense of our lives. Facts and lessons can teach, but stories reach the heart. When we share honestly, we hand someone else a mirror — a chance for them to see themselves in our words and realize they’re not alone. In teaching and in healing, that connection is everything. It’s the bridge between despair and hope, between silence and belonging.

10. What’s next for you now that this book is out in the world?

This is just the beginning. I’m building around R4 Style — workshops, a companion workbook, community programs — but what excites me most is the opportunity to connect with readers. This book was never meant to be the final word. It was always an invitation. My hope is that together, we can keep stepping forward, keep building resilience, and keep discovering what’s waiting on the other side of the street.