Interview Summary: Otis W.

Learning Quotes from Otis

“Face it till you make it — not fake it. Whatever that trauma is, you’ve got to face it.”

“You can’t give people houses, cars, and jobs before helping them see their value. If I don’t think I’m worth the house, I won’t keep it.”

“God doesn’t waste anything. Every mistake, every fall — He can use it.”

“You got to get them in the room, or bring the room to them. Real work starts when you show up face to face.”

“Peer support isn’t about titles. It’s about saying, ‘I’ve been where you are,’ and meaning it.”

Conversation Overview

Born in Pittsburgh, Otis grew up one of eight children in a rural Pennsylvania town where his family was one of the few Black households. His father, a hard-working man from North Carolina, believed in the power of education and exposure, raising his children in a space far from the city to teach them independence and endurance.

After high school, Otis joined the military and served during the Vietnam era. When he returned home, his life changed abruptly with the loss of his mother and father within two years. At just 22, grief and disconnection led him to heroin — his first and only drug. For the next 35 years, addiction shaped his reality, leading to incarceration, homelessness, and cycles of recovery and relapse.

In prison, he experienced a spiritual awakening — a moment he describes as hearing God say, “You’re drowning. Get in the boat.” That vision marked the beginning of his recovery journey. Over time, through faith, mentorship, and honesty, he transformed pain into purpose. Today, he leads Dryhootch, a veteran-led peer support organization in Milwaukee, where he mentors others through trauma, recovery, and self-worth.

Key Learnings

• Face the trauma. Recovery begins when people stop avoiding pain and start confronting its roots.

• Value before resources. Lasting change requires helping people see their worth before offering material help.

• Peer support works. Healing is built on trust, shared experience, and accountability — not just paperwork.

• Spirituality matters. For Otis, faith planted the seed of change and continues to guide his recovery.

• The room matters. Healing happens through connection — in conversation, in presence, and in community.

Insight for Systems Change

Otis’s story highlights a central truth: you can’t program your way out of pain without first understanding the person living it. His journey reveals the limits of systems built around compliance instead of connection. From prisons to veteran halls, his work reminds us that transformation begins with trust, conversation, and belief in human value.

Through initiatives like FOCUS, Milwaukee County continues to listen to these voices — the ones who’ve lived it, learned it, and now lead with it — ensuring that recovery and healing are built with the community, not just for it.