This past year has included many exciting new beginnings and transitions! I completed my master’s in public health at Harvard in the spring and spent the summer visiting friends in New England and enjoying some time on the island with my family. This past fall, I moved to Providence to start a PhD program at the Brown University School of Public Health in the Behavioral and Social Sciences department. Over the past few months, I have loved my courses in quantitative and qualitative research methods as well as my research work outside of class focusing on harm reduction approaches for pregnant and parenting people living with a substance use disorder. Rhode Island is a really exciting place to be learning about harm reduction since they just became the first state to open a state sanctioned overdose prevention center. I’ve tried to show up to as many talks and state workgroup meetings as possible to learn about all the incredible harm reduction and overdose prevention work going on in the state. I have been so grateful to be so generously welcoming into Providence’s close-knit community, and within just the past few months I now find myself walking around my neighbor and inevitably bumping into familiar faces and friends. The small community feeling reminds me of home, and I love feeling more and more connected to my neighbors. I am also lucky to be living with one of my best friends from growing up on the island, and sharing another home together has been incredibly meaningful. Outside of classes, I have loved biking on the East Bay Bike Path, walks on Rhode Island’s beaches and enjoying the delicious food Providence has to offer! I am so grateful to all that MVYouth has done to support me getting to this point and to all the amazing work they continue to do on the island. Thank you, and wishing everyone a wonderful 2025!