Shining Light on Recovery: Stories of Hope, Resilience, and Transformation
- heather8575
- Feb 20
- 4 min read
The holiday season and the new year bring a time of reflection and renewal. A couple months ago, we launched Shining Light on Recovery, a campaign dedicated to sharing powerful stories of resilience, healing, and hope. Each story reminds us that recovery is not just possible—it’s happening all around us, in our communities, and in the lives of those who courageously choose to walk this path.
From lived experience to advocacy, the individuals we’ve highlighted in this campaign are true beacons of hope. Their journeys reflect the strength of the recovery community and the collective efforts to create a world where healing is possible for all.
Spotlighting Recovery Champions
Johnny Ohta
We launched our campaign with the incredible story of Johnny Ohta, a dedicated outreach worker who is making a profound impact on young people struggling with substance use in Seattle. Johnny has spent years working with at-risk youth, offering them harm reduction tools, support, and pathways toward recovery in the face of the devastating fentanyl crisis.
Johnny’s approach is compassionate and innovative—meeting young people where they are, building trust, and providing life-saving interventions when they need them most. His work was recently highlighted by The Seattle Times, where he discussed the challenges of navigating a system that often fails vulnerable youth and the creative strategies he employs to keep them safe.
Read more about Johnny’s powerful work here: Seattle Times Feature
Aiden
Youth voices in recovery are essential to shaping the future of support services and advocacy. That’s why we’re proud to shine a light on Aiden, a graduate of Recovery High School and an emerging leader in the recovery community. Aiden will soon serve as a youth host for King County Recovery Conversations, a space dedicated to fostering honest and impactful discussions about recovery and mental health.
Aiden’s journey highlights the importance of early intervention, supportive educational environments, and community connections in sustaining long-term recovery. We are so inspired by his leadership and commitment to helping other young people navigate their own paths to healing.
Carolyn Presnell
Carolyn Presnell is a shining example of the transformative power of recovery. Today, she serves as the Program Director at Weld Seattle, a nonprofit that provides housing, employment, and support to individuals impacted by addiction and the criminal justice system. But Carolyn’s journey to this role was not an easy one.
Having faced addiction and legal challenges, Carolyn knows firsthand the barriers that stand in the way of those seeking recovery. Rather than letting her past define her, she has used it as fuel to create meaningful change. Carolyn openly shares her experiences with addiction and the cultural stigma surrounding it, offering hope and understanding to others walking a similar path.
Her work continues to inspire those who are striving to rebuild their lives. Thank you, Carolyn, for your advocacy, vulnerability, and commitment to recovery.
Ricky Mogel
This year, Ricky Mogel celebrated an extraordinary milestone—20 years of recovery on January 15th! Ricky’s journey in recovery began in 2005 when he moved into his first Oxford House, a peer-supported recovery residence. Since then, he has dedicated his life to giving back to the recovery community.
As a Senior Outreach Coordinator for Oxford House and a KCRC Advisory Board member, Ricky has played a vital role in expanding recovery housing, coaching individuals in early recovery, and uniting different recovery support services. He has also been instrumental in advocating for policy changes to improve resources for people in recovery and fighting stigma at every level.
Congratulations, Ricky! Your dedication and leadership continue to shape the recovery movement in Washington and beyond.
Malika Lamont
Few people embody the intersection of recovery, harm reduction, and social justice as powerfully as Malika Lamont. As a leader with VOCAL-WA (Voices of Community Activists & Leaders – Washington), Malika is on the frontlines advocating for policies that prioritize compassion, dignity, and evidence-based solutions.
Her work focuses on amplifying the voices of those most impacted by substance use, poverty, and systemic inequities—fighting for resources that meet people where they are, rather than punishing them for their struggles. Malika’s efforts have been instrumental in expanding harm reduction initiatives across Washington and promoting recovery-oriented policies that center racial justice and health equity.
Malika, your leadership is a beacon of hope. Thank you for everything you do to ensure that recovery is accessible, inclusive, and stigma-free.
Deaunte Damper
Deaunte Damper is a powerful voice for LGBTQIA+ affirming recovery, harm reduction, and community education. A Seattle native, Deaunte has worked tirelessly to bring awareness to HIV prevention, trauma-informed care, and recovery support, especially within communities that often face systemic barriers to care.
From his early work as a Peer Navigator at POCAAN to making history as the first-ever LGBTQIA+ Chair of the NAACP, Deaunte has consistently championed those left unheard. His openness about his own recovery journey helps break down stigma and create a more inclusive and compassionate approach to healing.
Listen to Deaunte’s powerful King County Recovery Conversations podcast episode, featuring host Carolyn Presnell, here:🎧 Healing Together: Deaunte Damper’s Journey of Recovery
Thank you, Deaunte, for your unwavering commitment to uplifting and empowering others in recovery.
Join the Movement: Share & Support Recovery
The Shining Light on Recovery campaign is more than just a celebration—it’s a call to action. We invite you to share your own story of recovery and hope using #ShiningLightOnRecovery to inspire others who may be seeking support.
You can also help us continue this vital work by donating to support recovery efforts:🔗 Donate Here
Together, we can light the way for recovery, break the stigma, and create a future where healing is possible for all.
💜 Thank you to every advocate, storyteller, and supporter who makes recovery visible and celebrated.
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