opioid – CT State, Three Rivers

In the News | In The Thick Episode Now Available plus News Coverage

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LIVE from Connecticut: Addiction in POC Communities

Podcast live show in Norwich focuses on addiction and mental health in communities of color

Norwich, CT (The Day, October 16, 2019) — After journalist Maria Hinojosa gave an introduction to the latest episode of the podcast “In The Thick” at Three Rivers Community College, talking about how “the opioid crisis right now is focusing on white people,” one of her podcast guests had a quick, polite correction.

“What we’re actually in is an overdose crisis,” said Kenyatta Thompson, senior community organizer for Katal Center for Health, Equity and Justice. She emphasized, “We’re not in a crisis of opioids; we’re in a crisis of people overdosing and dying from opioids.”

It was a moment that Hinojosa brought up later — bringing the conversation full-circle — when an audience member asked if she or her podcast co-host, Julio Ricardo Varela, ever found themselves slipping into misconceptions about the overdose crisis.

This question was a follow-up to a few questions Varela asked his podcast guests: What is being missed in the conversation about the overdose crisis? If you could change the media narrative, what would you do? What about media in Connecticut, specifically?

Hinojosa and Varela brought their podcast — which covers politics, culture and race through the lens of people of color — to Three Rivers Community College on Wednesday evening. The podcast is from Futuro Media, which Hinojosa launched in 2010.

She explained before the taping that the idea for “In The Thick” came after she was on NBC’s “Meet the Press” several times in 2015 but suddenly stopped being invited. Figuring that she has her own media company and could do her own show, she launched “In The Thick” in 2016.

The topic of the episode taped at Three Rivers was addiction and mental health in communities of people of color, both in Connecticut and nationally.

Joining Thompson as their guests were Kelvin Young, a sound healer and recovery coach, and Taylor Ford, statewide youth and family coordinator with FAVOR Inc.

Young spoke of his own experience as someone in recovery, who hasn’t used since March 6, 2009. Speaking of how he learned about yoga, meditation and sound healing in prison, Young commented, “I honestly thought that yoga was for rich white women, because of the way it’s marketed here in the United States.”

He talked about how trauma — a concept he didn’t think about growing up — was at the root of his addiction. Hinojosa cited toxic stress as a basis of addiction, while Varela pointed to both the War on Drugs and the actions of major pharmaceutical companies.

“People are hurting and we’re not dealing with the root causes of what is hurting people,” Thompson said, citing homelessness as an example. She also spoke of the risk to queer people and transgender youth, because of their experiences of being kicked out.

Talking about the media narratives, Ford said one struggle is that it’s all very “hush-hush,” that people “don’t want to talk about it, because it makes us look worse than what the media has already portrayed us to look like.”

Earlier in the day Thursday, Varela and podcast producer Nicole Rothwell held a podcasting workshop with more than 20 Three Rivers students. Varela said he encouraged the students to pitch their ideas to Futuro Media.

Another “In The Thick” live show will be taped at Eastern Connecticut State University on Oct. 22, this one about immigration and the Latino community.

The workshops and live shows are made possible through support from the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut and the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund.

“For us, it was wanting to do civic engagement work, and I saw this as a gift to our community, and to our young community,” Community Foundation President Maryam Elahi said.

— By Erica Moser, Day staff writer

The original article can be found here: ‘Podcast live show in Norwich focuses on addiction and mental health in communities of color’

In the News | Importance of Community Colleges in Connecticut

NORWICH, Conn. (WTNH, April 25, 2018) – Three Rivers Community College provides opportunity for many students.

Whether it’s getting a degree in accounting, nursing, or getting special training to enter into the submarine manufacturing industry, students count on the college to get ahead in life.

“I’m getting to fulfill my dream of becoming a nurse someday,” said student Lori Fella of Moosup.

Three Rivers is one of the state’s 12 community colleges which the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) wanted to consolidate. But now, that’s not going to happen.

The accrediting agency, New England Association of Schools & Colleges, or NEASC, has turned down CSCU’s money-saving proposal.

Mark Ojakian, president of CSCU says this will be “devastating” and could lead to tuition hikes or campus closures.

“I’d probably have to travel a long way an hour or so,” said Fella.

“I got a 2-year-old and a newborn on the way and I’m working,” said student Mark Simmert of Norwich.

He says he can’t afford to travel farther than the Norwich campus. He’s majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing.

“And then I’m also going to come back and get my certificate in graphic design and eventually I’m going to open my own repair shop,” said Simmert.

“They actually have a nuclear engineering technology program here,” said student Nathan Reigles of Montville.

That program is the only one in the state and Reigles hopes it will help land him a job at the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant which has invested a lot in the school.

In addition to the degree programs, there are also several non-credit courses that are aimed at getting people trained so they can get into the workforce.

The manufacturing pipeline trains welders for Electric Boat. The school also provides a food pantry and Narcan training.

“I think this school is very, very in touch with what the students need,” said Reigles.

Students don’t want that to change.

“With people not being able to continue their education that drops the economy which is something that Connecticut can’t really afford either,” said Simmert.

This school is part of the community and students say it is an important part of their success.

— By Tina Detelj, WTNH Channel 8

The original story can be found here: ‘Commmunity colleges impacted by rejection to consolidate schools’

In the News | College students take Narcan training

Norwich, CT (WTNH, February 14, 2018) — For the second time in a week the Multipurpose Room at Three Rivers Community College is the place where students can learn some life saving techniques.

It’s not CPR but rather they are learning how to use Narcan.

The drug meant to save overdose victims is being used by more and more people hoping to fight the opioid epidemic.

So far there have been no heroin or opioid overdoses at the Norwich college but they can happen anywhere and now many more may be prepared.

“You’re never going to hurt anyone by giving them Naloxone,” said Shawn Lang with Aids CT.

She is teaching the life saving techniques, along with providing a larger look at the opioid crisis.

“Might be the thing that turns it around so they can watch their kid play football,” said Lang.

“It’s all encompassing it’s actually very easy,” said nursing student Laci Gardner who demonstrated how the Narcan is administered into an overdose victim’s nose.

Lang says four out of five heroin users started with a prescription opiate. A survey shows many students at the school weren’t aware prescription drugs can be abused.

“They didn’t realize the danger. So it’s definitely raised an awareness,” said Victoria Jenkins with Thames River Community College.

The training is made possible by a state grant through the Connecticut Healthy Campus Initiatives.

Gardner learned something she didn’t realize about prescriptions.

“They might be taking them as directed but their body might not be able to clear out the drugs fast enough and they become toxic and overdose,” said Gardner.

She and everyone else at the training are now armed with more information and with a tool to help someone who might need it.

“Not everyone readily has Narcan and it’s nice to know that hey I do,” said Junior Hunter Tashea.

In addition to all the participants getting one of the kits, they’ll also be given to the security department at the school and others so they’ll be available if needed.

— By Tina Detelj, WTNH Channel 8

The original story can be found here: ‘College students take Narcan training.’