hope choice empowerment meaning&purpose recovery ... · april 2014 voices of choices 5 hope...

April 2014 Voices of Choices

April 2014

Bright new horizons…

Spring has “sprung” in the Bay Area — and at CHOICES Learning Center! Part-

ners, coaches and other Learning Center staff are enjoying the warmer tempera-

tures (and even the long-awaited rain) and feeling inspired!

Last year, a group of Choices partners participated in a

special workshop called Photo Voice. Partners learned

about the art of photography, and chose a theme for their

works: Gifts, Inspiration, Resilience. Group members took

photographs of people, objects, or places that symbolized

these themes for them and told some of their recovery

story. This March, the framed photographic artwork that

resulted from that workshop was hung throughout the

Learning Center. Take some time to appreciate the images and read the accom-

panying captions (which are the partners’ own words regarding their work.) What

images could represent your recovery—your gifts, inspiration and resilience?

Volume 3, Issue 2

Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services

CHOICES for Community Living Program

Choices Learning Center

Voices of Choices HOPE CHOICE EMPOWERMENT MEANING&PURPOSE RECOVERY ENVIRONMENT

Downtown Oakland skyline

April 2014 2 Voices of Choices

Jimmy H. poses proudly with the list of

strengths he identified in himself and

chose to communicate through his own

personal “billboard.”

Recovery Coach Michael M. and Recovery Educator

Joanna A. facilitate a group activity called “Human

Billboards” at the Learning Center. Each person

wrote a list of strengths or personal characteristics on

a giant, wearable sheet of paper in order to

“advertise” themselves to the rest of the group—a

hands-on and creative way to get to know each other

better!

Welcome

back,

Donna!

In March, our Support Services Admin-

istrator, Donna R., returned from her

medical leave. We’re lucky to have her

back—things are about to get more or-

ganized at the Learning Center. Be

sure to stop and say “hi” when you are

near the front desk!

← Donna jumps

into action on her

first day back!

What’s Happening?


RECOVERY ENVIRONMENT HOPE CHOICE EMPOWERMENT MEANING&PURPOSE

What’s Happening in April?

We all know that wellness and recovery in-

volve effort and hard work. But, we at

Choices Learning Center also believe we can

have fun and enjoy our lives in recovery. And

really, isn’t that the point?

With that in mind, here are some events that

we will be hosting in April.

Events coming up at

Choices Learning Cen-

ter:

Thursday, April 17th:

Black Men Speak, Inc.

A panel of speakers, all men of color, who share their stories of lived experience and recovery through song and spoken word.

10:30am to 12:20pm

Friday, April 18th:

A Community

Wellness Celebration! 9:30AM – 3PM

Join the Family Education & Re-source Center and the Alameda County 10x10 Wellness Cam-paign as we celebrate and bring wellness activities to families and consumers to promote over-all health and relaxation. Learn about ways to stay healthy in your mind, body and spirit. Par-ticipate in movement, creativity projects and experience tech-niques for stress reduction. Ex-perience ways to communicate compassionately with those you love.

Some of the Photovocie works on display ...


April 24th:

Author Collette Winlock, who is also the Executive Direc-

tor of the Health and Human Resource Education Center,

will present her novel Undoing Crazy.

Friday, April 25th:

Birthdays and achievements breakfast celebration!

Traditionally, the Learning Center has celebrated each month’s birthdays and achievements with cake. This April, we are trying a different approach: a breakfast celebration with partners and staff!

10:30am

*Please RSVP with Linda or Desiree if you plan to attend!*

Happy birthday!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Undoing-Crazy-/360894026371?pt=US_Nonfiction_Book&hash=item5406f5d283


HOPE CHOICE EMPOWERMENT MEANING&PURPOSE RECOVERY ENVIRONMENT

Saturday Night Online takes interactive radio to a new level!

Are you looking for a way to fight Saturday night boredom and to make new buddies at the same time?

Then you should check out a wonderful radio show.

Saturday Night Online Live with Romeo is not your average radio show. It’s high-energy, highly inter-

active radio show, which is aired on over 120 Top 40 music stations nationwide. The show lets listeners

interact with each other and also with pop music’s hottest stars through its various social media plat-

forms such as USTREAM, Facebook, Twitter and Skype and also the show’s text and request lines.

Whether a listener is asking a question for a special guest, requesting a favorite song of theirs, or want-

ing to give a shout-out, Saturday Night Online is the perfect place for them to be every week. They can

meet thousands of fans just like them who are interacting on their social platforms and chat room. They

have gotten to know hundreds of their regular fans who keep coming back for more. It’s like a huge fam-

ily reunion that goes on every week.

Romeo, has had a long term relationship with America’s youth since his early days as music director at

New York CHR station WHTZ, known to its listeners as Z100. His on-air popularity grew into feature

articles in magazines, such as Rolling Stone, People and the radio industry trade publication Friday

Morning Quarterback. His cast members include, Maxwell, who is also the late night host for Z100, and

producers Coleen, Tracy, Anthony, Tony and Ben

This show has grown to be a perfect place for artists to launch a new project with an established digital

fan base. Some of the artists what have world premiered their music on the show include, Swedish

House Mafia, Austin Mahone and Fifth Harmony. These world premieres have given the show some of

its highest streaming and digital numbers ever. Host Romeo has

been lucky to establish incredible relationships and friendships on

the label side over the years and have had enlightening discussions

with all of them on digital integration and breaking artists.

Their Web Celeb of the Week feature, which highlights new artists

they frequently discover through YouTube, always gets tons of lis-

tener feedback. Some of the artists that were discovered on the

show include: Karmin, Megan Nicole, Timeflies, Conor Maynard

and Megan & Liz, who have become a weekly fixture on the show

called “The Next In The Biz.” After they exposed Megan & Liz as

Web Celebs, they went on to win the Macy’s iHeartRadio Rising

Star contest. They give back to the online music community every

week by announcing who will be that week’s next big music super-

star.

Yes, this show has mini mix segments called “The Twitta Mix”

with DJ Spinbad and DJ Jay-Mac, which all of the requests come

from their Twitter followers. To find out more about this show,

please visit their website at : http://www.saturdaynightonline.com

This story was researched and contributed by Choices partner Henry “Hammerin’ Hank” O. Henry has years of experience working in radio, and keeps on top of all the latest trends in the radio

business as he prepares for his own radio comeback!


Getting to Know You

Each issue, someone at Choices Learning Center answers Four Questions. Question #1:

When is your birthday?

Answer: December 11th

Question #2:

Where were you born?

Question #3:

What are your interests?

Answer: Jacksonville, Florida

Answer:

Fishing

Riding bike

Walking

Watching wrestling

...I love sitcoms and drinking my

orange pop!

Question #4: Who, what or where do you want to be after Choices?

Answer(s):

1. A better person as a whole

2. Working side-by-side with Choices partners

3. Working out of my own apartment

4. Helping someone else benefit from the program I participated in

and succeeding in it.

Choices Partner,

Ed R.

Ed. R. enrolled in CHOICES this Decem-

ber. We appreciate his authenticity and

directness… and his skills as a chef!



Creative Expressions


UNTITLED…

I just can’t get it right - I try and I try

But it’s just not right

If only I can make it - Then it’d be all right

But I just can’t seem to manage

Then something stirs - From the depths of my soul

Don’t let the vision die - Don’t give up the fight

I remember when nothing could stop me

When it didn’t matter what people said

When determination was my middle name

And every obstacle became my launching pad

I won’t let the vision die

I won’t be hard on myself when I don’t get it right

I’m gonna keep on tryin’ and not give up the fight

Now the vision is so clear

So, I choose this day - I’m goin’ on

‘Cause life is worth livin’ - No matter how hard it gets

So, I’m gonna do this thing called life

One step at a time - One day at a time

I will make it if I try

I won't let the vision die

BY: Choices partner, Alicia D.

Original art by Choices partner Jimmy H.

Original art by Choices partner Walter T.


Closing Thoughts... The Voices of Choices is a place for every member of the Choices

community to connect and share. If you have an idea for a feature or

story, or anything you’d like to publish in the newsletter and share

with your Choices community... tell us!

Place it in the suggestions box... hand it to a Learning Center staff

member... or send it by email to

[email protected] !

Newsletter Staff

Michelle Fiorenzo - Editor-in-Chief

Rosemary Lum-Levine - Executive Editor

Megan Maley - Production Consultant

Patricia Neal - Staff Interviewer

Gary Williams - Fashion Commentator

Linda Washington - Recipe Consultant

Robert Medeiros - Staff Interviewer

Natalie Stone - Community Resource Contributor

Michael McKeever - Photographer

1211 Embarcadero East

Suite 300

Oakland, CA, 94606

C H O I C E S L E A R N I N G C E N T E R

Phone: 510-535-1409

Fax: 510-535-1414

E-mail: [email protected]

“Recovery is remembering who you are and using your

strengths to become all you were meant to be.”


The Last Laugh

...It’s only funny if you’ve finished

your morning coffee already.

hope choice empowerment meaning&purpose recovery ... · april 2014 voices of choices 5 hope...

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