Rising Stars: Meet LaSalle Harris of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to LaSalle Harris.

Hi LaSalle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
A situation in which (I), La Salle N. Harris openly talks about the dark days when I was actively using drugs for over twenty-three years, was selling drugs, and involved in criminal activities. I had no purpose or direction. I was caught up in a lifestyle that was the only thing I knew. The environment, social standard, and ethical beliefs were not correctly instilled in my decision making. To eventually learn how to turn my life around and move forward. I remember wanting to be a kinship for one of my family members and due to risk factors with their parenting. I found out that because of my Summit County Children Services neglect charges when I had been on drugs and my children were removed from my custody, I was unable to be a kinship provider.

Here are some horrific situations reflecting on the period of active addiction and its consequences from my past lifestyle to co-elaborate me strive to move forward with a master’s degree in social work. My history with one outpatient drug treatment, two inpatient drug treatment centers, several detox visits, multiple mental health crises, and going to prison five times and accumulating twenty-three felony convictions. I think about how it took me to lose all four of my children. Losing my children was heartbreaking and sent me into a deeper, darker, and hopeless state of mind with my addiction and mental health.

I was able to overcome most of the negative thought patterns, miss understanding beliefs, cultural norms, behaviors, troubles and lifestyles through community resources and guidance from caseworkers and community professionals that engaged in assisting and supporting my change. All four of my adult children are back into my life and have seven grandchildren and a great granddaughter blessed my my savior Jesus Christ.

I want to have a career as a Master Social Worker & Certified Peer Recovery Supporter-S & Facilatator to make a positive impact in the community. There are a range of concerns that affect communities across the world facing issues such as inequality, discrimination, employment, education, and economic disadvantages opportunities. Helping individuals live a quality life, by helping them improve their safety, health, and protecting their human rights. I want to work with individuals to reduce their high levels of complex and high “risk” crisis. The passion and advocation I bring back will assist in balancing emotional stability that has been a disadvantage not only locally but internationally that our social workers profession can do.
Four times I was in a community based correctional facility and had a caseworker who assisted me with a case plan to support me to get into a sober living house. At the sober house I had a caseworker who helped me with a case plan goals to reconstruct my lifestyle with sustainable goals to overcome barriers and risk factors that keep me from recidivism.
When I share views regarding diversity in society in different various racial, interests, ethnic, socioeconomic, culture, background, and lifestyles. It helps us to learn and understand other individuals to be able to maintain and support peace and morality around the world.

I to revise some policies. To use my lived experiences to lobby to change and or to reverse current policies and/or laws to update diversity that prohibit individuals a change to move to have a meaningful life also offering individuals a second change to better their lives in the community.

That is why I want to thrive as a social worker certified peer recovery supporter career to make a positive impact in the community. There are issues such as inequality, discrimination, employment, education, and economic disadvantages opportunities we can impact a better change.

Today I have 18+years of long-time sobriety and mental health recovery. I completed a small business entrepreneur program in 2012 Collaboration Station, went to Moore College 2017 obtained CDCA II Certificate. Akron, OH, Studied at The University of Akron and graduated in 2018 with B.A. Social Work, gained my license bachelor’s degree social workers in 2020. I have been a Certified Peer Recovery Supporter-Supervisor-Facilitator (CPRS-S-F) since 2013.

I received a Quality of Employment Certificate 2015, then went on to receive a Pardon from the Govern of Ohio on December 22, 2020, and in the process of getting my felony records sealed through The University of Akron Law department under Professor Sahl.

I am the Founder & Director of JoAnna House II, a recovery ministry proving sober living for women recovery housing with re-entry programs since September 2012. Also, operated Urban Farms to Heaven / Farmers Market since 2016. Many accomplishements along the way through the Alcoholic Anonymous recovery community.

Looking back, I needed caseworkers and mentors in my life to help guide me through where I was lost. That is why today I am a licensed social worker and role model as a certified peer recovery supporter and facilitator in the state of Ohio Mental Health Addiction Services to offer hope and a career to many that are hopeless. To help them find their own pathway to move forward. This sums up my life career journal to date as to why I should be selected to enter the master social workers degree program.

LaSalle Harris

What do you like and dislike about the city?
Recovery community
Lack of funding from local summit county drug board

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joannahouseii.com