OnSurviving: Walter's Story

In this episode of OnSurviving, Walterlee Otterman Hawkins-Long shares his story, from being born with fetal alcohol syndrome to being adopted by a White family that did not help him connect with his culture through struggles with substance misuse and cycling through jail and living on the streets to finally finding a sense of belonging in his cultural community and supporting others living without stable housing. Walter is a father, an activist, an artist and artisan, and a survivor in the truest sense of the word. To others who are still suffering, he says, "Be generous, be patient, and be kind to yourself. Doing that will spread out to everybody else."
If you are struggling with what it takes to survive trauma in your life, please call or text 988 to talk to someone who will listen and help you find more resources to support you.
OnSurviving is a project of Community Wisdom Consulting. Learn more, read stories, and explore learning and resources at www.communitywisdom.us. You can also watch/listen to more survivor stories and conversations about how we can lighten the load for survivors right here at / @onsurviving .