From Survival to Service: Celebrating Michael Bennett’s Journey to Becoming a Certified CHW
Some journeys to certification begin with a clear career plan. Michael Bennett’s began with survival.
Before entering Voices of Hope Maryland’s Community Health Worker program, Michael was in what they described as a transition season. They had survived homelessness, family trauma, and the pain of being misunderstood in different spaces. Although they had found housing stability, they were still carrying the emotional weight of racism, homophobia, family dynamics, and the ongoing work of rebuilding their sense of self. Michael was not simply looking for a job. They were looking for purpose. And somewhere in that process, they came to a life-changing realization: their lived experience was not a liability. It was leadership.
That understanding became the foundation of Michael’s journey into Community Health Work. In their own reflection, Michael shared that they chose this path because they know what it feels like to need resources, to sit in waiting rooms, and to move through systems without feeling fully seen or understood. They have lived through housing instability, mental health struggles, family dysfunction, and the deep loneliness of feeling invisible. Becoming a Community Health Worker gave them a way to reclaim their story—not as someone defined by crisis, but as someone capable of walking alongside others through theirs.
Michael’s path into the program was not easy. They were determined to move forward and pursued workforce funding. But after months of back-and-forth, their case was closed and funding was not an option. Even then, Michael did not give up. Their family was prepared to help them pay out of pocket if needed. That determination met opportunity when Voices of Hope was awarded the Maryland Accredited Community Health Worker Certification Program (MACHWCP) grant in 2025. Through that grant, Michael was able to enroll in the CHW Certification Program and continue pursuing the future they had been fighting for.
What stands out throughout Michael’s journey is their consistency. Even before they were eligible to begin practicum, they remained committed, volunteered when they could, and kept pushing forward while completing the educational requirements needed to move ahead. Later, as they neared the finish line, Michael completed their final training hours and began preparing for practicum placement. They ultimately started their practicum at New Day Wellness & Recovery Center in Aberdeen, where an agreement was put in place to support their growth and assess their practicum performance.
Along the way, Michael did more than complete requirements—they grew into the work. They shared that the program helped them stop internalizing blame and begin seeing the barriers they had faced through a public health lens. They learned trauma-informed care, the power of empathy, the importance of professional boundaries, and how to care deeply without burning out. Just as importantly, the certification process affirmed what was already inside them: resilience, empathy, emotional intelligence, authenticity, observation, and adaptability. Michael’s story is a reminder that sensitivity is not weakness, and surviving hard things can shape someone into exactly the kind of leader their community needs.
Today, Michael is one of Voices of Hope’s recent CHW graduates and has already begun taking the next steps forward, actively pursuing career opportunities and starting to shadow at Sheppard Pratt Mosaic Belcamp as a Community Health Worker. Their journey reflects exactly why expanding access to workforce development matters. When people are given the right support, real opportunity, and a chance to build on their lived experience, they do not just complete programs—they step into purpose.
At Voices of Hope Maryland, we are proud to celebrate Michael Bennett and all that they have overcome to reach this moment. Their journey is powerful not just because of what they survived, but because of how they transformed that survival into service. As Michael shared so beautifully, “Surviving is not enough — I thrive by showing up fully, with my truth, my beauty, and my heart, so others can see that healing and resilience are possible.”
And if you have a passion for helping others in the community and becoming a beacon of hope for those who are dealing with substance use or behavioral health disorders, and are interested in getting your certification as a Community Health Worker or Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, please visit our website: https://www.voicesofhopemaryland.org/
