I’m a Drug Checking Project Manager at Chicago Recovery Alliance, with over three years of experience in harm reduction. My work focuses on expanding drug checking services across Chicago and using drug checking as a practical tool to improve quality of life for people who use drugs.
I've been a volunteer since 2001. Over that time I've done a little bit of
everything, from outreach and testing to training, volunteer management, and grant reporting.
I love being a part of this prolific, lovable, chaotic, trailblazing family. This is real public health!
My passion for harm reduction began when I started working in peer support
about 15 years ago. I am grateful to carry that passion into CRA and eternally grateful to learn from my
colleagues and their experiences, as well as our participants.
My name is Jayla, and I’ve been involved in outreach work and community organising in various forms for most of my adult life. I’m proud to be serving Chicago’s South Side, showing up for people, building relationships, and responding to real needs alongside the community. This work is grounded in care, solidarity, and respect. Love and rage 🖤
I have been with CRA 21 years working in the city and in Regions 1, 7, and 8. I do the Summit of Hope throughout the state of Illinois. I have a great respect for our participants, and they learn and practice harm reduction to the fullest for what works for them. I teach overdose prevention with participants along with family members and anyone else who is willing to learn. Over the years, I have learned that I have to take our participants where they are – and that in itself is ANY POSITIVE CHANGE.
I started out volunteering at age 10 or 11. It kind of grew on me! I am helping people, I enjoy my job, teaching people how to save somebody else’s life. And now it’s like family. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. I got it from my dad (John Gutenson).
I have been working or volunteering with CRA since 1998 in the Western Suburbs.
I have been working in the harm reduction field for the last 10 years, developing and running grant-funded programs for community based organizations throughout Chicago. My experience has mostly consisted of building out mobile outreach and community engagement services, with a focus on PWUD, those living with HIV, and those experiencing housing instability. I have been a volunteer and close community partner of CRA’s since 2014, and I am honored to be taking on the role of Executive Director.
Photo credit: Nigel Brunsdon
Dan was one of the founders of Chicago Recovery Alliance (CRA) and, for the last 28 years, Dan has been the Director of the CRA. Over the last 28 years under his leadership we have been guided by CRA participants to develop programming to prevent opioid-related overdose deaths with naloxone distribution; avoid viral hepatitis with safer injection and hepatitis A/B vaccination, and pilot test mobile opioid substitution therapies. Dan also helped start the US Harm Reduction Coalition and was a Project Developer for the International Harm Reduction Institute of the Open Society. Dan left this world in August 2018, but his legacy lives on in the work we do and the lives he saved.
I have been working at CRA since 2000, starting as a volunteer in 1998. Currently I conduct outreach at Humboldt Park on Tuesday evening and Diversey and Kilpatrick on Sunday evenings (and on the West Side as needed), provide referrals to HCV care and treatment, and assist with grant writing. It’s important that individuals who use drugs not only find and access harm reduction, but also inform and provide services. To me it’s a way of life.
I got involved with CRA around 2001 as a volunteer. I was trying to get past the overdose death of somebody I cared about. Somebody thought that if I helped a few people, I might be able to get past it, the guilt of it, because he was younger, and I might have influenced his choices later in life. And then I just … stayed. And I’m still here now.
I first became associated with CRA when they were busy doing harm reduction regarding the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1990s! I began frequenting the van and utilizing early syringe exchange and naloxone distribution along the way! Eventually I became a board member and long time advocate for harm reduction! I love the work I do…saving lives!