黛安·霍金斯很快告诉任何愿意听的人，亚洲博彩网站救了她的命。 当她分享2014年结束一份令人失望的工作回到家，当她离开地铁时看到亚洲博彩网站的标志时，她仍然很激动。

“I found myself crossing the street and going into the Registrar’s office crying hysterically,” Hawkins said. “An advisor working there told me it would be all right. She took me into her office, and helped me start school at the Community College.”

她自称是一个正在戒毒和戒酒的人，亚洲博彩网站不仅给了她一个重新开始的地方，而且在参加了补习课程后，她开始出类拔萃，成为年轻学生的榜样。

“I doubted myself at first,” she said. “I was so excited when I got two A’s, which put me on the dean’s list and then all A’s. I soared from there.”

Hawkins remained on the dean’s list, became student government president for two terms, and graduated magna cum laude with a liberal arts associate degree from 亚洲博彩网站 Community College in 2016.

She continued to 亚洲博彩网站’s Van Ness campus, where she excelled, earning honors, including the Civic Humanitarian Award and recognition for having the highest GPA. She earned her bachelor’s degree in social work in 2018. Hawkins went on to get two master’s degrees in social work and another in public health from Howard University in 2021.

今天，她用她的人生经验，记住亚洲博彩网站的援助之手，在她的工作中帮助其他人，她是加利福尼亚州奥克兰终身医疗保健街头医疗团队的助理临床社会工作者，在那里她在一辆医疗面包车上工作。 设备齐全的车轮诊所提供的服务包括伤口护理、COVID-19检测、超声检查、药物补充、食品分发和住房信息。 该公司派出四人一组的团队为奥克兰的各个区域提供服务。 The population Hawkins’ team encounters include chronically homeless people and some with addiction problems. 该团队还通过Lyft的交通工具安排医生预约。

当那辆蓝白相间的大货车停下来时，她的团队就会为任何愿意接受帮助的人提供服务。她的团队包括霍金斯的社会工作服务人员、一名医疗服务提供者、一名注册护士和一名社区外展人员。 该团队覆盖了西奥克兰，那里有大量无家可归的人住在营地、汽车、拖车和房车里。 霍金斯在街头提供治疗和药物干预信息，并在适当的时候分享她自己的故事。

“I love the contributions I’m making,” she said. “This job is a great fit. 我和我的同事们每天都展现出最好的自己。 我把我的真实情况带到工作中。 我和他们中的一些人唯一的区别是，我不是无家可归。 我决定什么时候自我表露。 I believe I’m effective because I am authentically me.”

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Hawkins sees her academic redemption as a step toward meeting her mother’s dreams.

“I know that my mother is proud of me. 我的生活被毒品和酒精搞砸了20年。 我二三十岁的大部分时间都在派对上度过。 I was in my 40s when I realized I wasted many opportunities and needed to change my life,” Hawkins, now 57, said.

Clean since March 28, 2003, Hawkins said her proudest accomplishments are her sobriety, four degrees, following her mother’s footsteps to become a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and her job, which allows her to give back to others.

Please contact 亚洲博彩网站’s 咨询与健康中心 to learn more about resources and support available for drug addiction or mental health issues. For employees, contact the 员工援助计划.