The LatinX community is at high risk for substance use disorder (SUD) due to the lack of mental health resources available. In the United States, LatinX folks will use substances to numb some of the trauma associated with the process of immigration, family separation, their legal status, and the process of assimilating to a new country and language. Accessing mental health services and SUD treatment is stigmatized in the LatinX culture and treatment services are limited due to language barriers. Jessica Lazo, YPR Chapter Lead, joins us in this episode of Recovery Corner as a recovery ally serving the Los Angeles community. She’s been creating recovery events that are closely connected to the LatinX culture. Jessica has a B.A. in Chicana(o) and Latina(o) Studies with a minor in Psychology and is currently in her last semester of her master's program to receive an M.A. in Chicana(o) and Latina(o) Studies. She was a Civic Action Fellow which supported her research in the Latinx community, focusing on women and migration. Some of her research interests are centered around women in Latin America, education equity, mother scholars, and testimonies as a form of healing. YPR aims to be inclusive of all populations and through this mission we work towards understanding the unique barriers that may present themselves within diverse cultures in recovery.
