Behind The Mission: Alicia Sutton

Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, Alicia Sutton recently relocated to Charlotte in August 2021 and joined SHC as a Certified Peer Support Specialist in February. This was a natural transition for her having been involved in Peer Support for over eight years. “I saw this role as an opportunity to continue working with a population that I understand”, she affirms.

Alicia has had lived experience being homeless, healing from abuse, and overcoming barriers to becoming independent. As a shortcut to independence from her parents, Alicia, and her four-year-old daughter, moved into a shelter, thinking it would be the quickest way to get public assistance and Section 8 housing. “I learned a lot of things within that first 24 hours—that there were consequences to making quick decisions that were not thought through, but the experience made me who I am today,” she reiterates”.

From the moment, Alicia realized there was such a thing as Peer Support, she fell in love with the role. Being able to open up to clients and showing them that you can still make it through, be productive, happy, and have access to becoming a whole person is what Alicia loves about her job.