In honor of Black History Month, we’re featuring some of the Black leaders of harm reduction here at Prevention Point Philadelphia (PPP). Lewis Alston, known as “Alston” by colleagues and friends, has been at PPP for an impressive 18 and a half years. As Head Lead in the Syringe Services Program (SSP), Alston and his team provide participants with sterile syringes, Narcan, first aid, and navigation to medical and social services. Alston is also proud of his efforts to keep used syringes off the streets and out of the community.
Alston is passionate about harm reduction in part because he was once in the same situation as many of PPP’s participants.
“I was in active addiction for close to 32 years. I know it’s hard,” he says.
For Alston, it is emotionally difficult to see people caught in cycles of substance use. He uses his own story as an example of how recovery is possible.
“It’s on the individual—when an individual feels that it’s time to stop, that’s when they’ll stop. But I can plant the seed by letting them see how things could be better,” Alston explains. “Prevention Point helped me a lot in my addiction. I got all the resources I needed... I turned some of them down because I thought others deserved them more than me. I was just taking up their spot. That’s why it took me so long to stop.”
Alston’s colleagues describe him as warm-hearted, meticulous, organized, resilient, hardworking, and dedicated. Some lovingly refer to him as the “grumpy old man” because “I don’t sugar coat nothing. I talk to everyone as an adult. I respect them, and they respect me,” Alston says.
Alston deeply values his interactions with participants and co-workers. Many of them have gone through similar phases of substance use disorder and recovery, and he’s happy to witness the progress they’ve made.
“Being a leader in SSP gives me something positive to do. If it’s housing, food, clothes... we try to help.”