My name is JR and I’m grateful to be here. I struggled with drugs and alcohol for about 20 years, racking up numerous felonies and derailing a once promising life. I chose to follow my addiction blindly and it led me down a dark path that took me away from everything and everyone I loved. My family disowned me, my friends walked away, my only interaction was with those that shared my addiction and the dealers that I used. People judge us, but the real truth is that we judge ourselves. We believe we are unworthy, hopeless, that we deserve whatever happens to us. The lying, cheating, stealing…things that I would never have done, were all acceptable in the streets. Our own self-destruction is the only way out, or maybe that is exactly what our addiction wants us to believe. I bought it all, the t-shirt, the postcards, everything that my addiction was telling me. It breaks us down piece by piece until we are empty inside and then it demands more. Life as a addict isn’t the big party that society wants to paint, its about struggle, loneliness, anger, confusion, bitterness (towards the world). Its about losing everything, every physical possession, every fabric of our morals, character. We lose ourselves to the darkness and unfortunately some will never have a chance to find their way out. If you’re reading this now then consider yourself one of the lucky one’s, you have the chance to ‘rise up’ and be the ‘change’ that the world needs. I need you, the world needs us. Join the Revolution!!!