Healing in Community: Conversations with Women Leaders in Recovery

For Women’s History Month, we sat down with two powerful leaders from our Network—La Shaun Rickman of Recovery Café Chicago and April Echauri of Everett Recovery Café—to talk about healing, sisterhood, and what it means to lead in recovery.

La Shaun Rickman: “Transforming Generational Struggles to Generational Wisdom” 

La Shaun Rickman’s journey into recovery work was born from deep personal loss and a commitment to transformation—for herself, her family, and her community. She is the founder of the only Recovery Café in Illinois: RC Chicago. She also serves as Executive Director of Brighter Behavior Choices Inc., a licensed recovery home for women in Chicago that has been operating since 2006.

The home, which serves up to seven women at a time, was created to offer what La Shaun calls a “safe passage” from the forces that take control of our lives—be it substance use, domestic violence, trauma, or the mismanagement of funds. “We are all in recovery from something,” she says. “Anything that takes full control of us—whether it’s shopping, gambling, or grief—can become an addiction.”

La Shaun has spent nearly two decades helping women heal, rebuild, and reclaim their lives. Her path to this work was shaped by both the hardships and the wisdom passed down through generations in her family. Early in her adult life, she witnessed the impact of substance use on her loved ones and experienced profound losses. The women she lost left a mark that became a mission. “The point is,” she says, “how can we take these encounters—these lessons—and build something different? This disease has destroyed families. No one is exempt—rich or poor, educated or not. But there is power in choosing healing, in forming healthy communities.”

RC Chicago’s approach to recovery is holistic and hands-on. Beyond harm reduction and recovery support, they offer classes and resources focused on building whole, healthy lives—like access to domestic violence hotlines, financial literacy and credit rebuilding, and small grants for women with lived experience. Creative outlets such as painting, crafts, and t-shirt making workshops are woven in to cultivate joy and expression. “We are bringing something different,” says La Shaun. 

When asked what she hopes to pass on to the next generation of women in recovery, her message is clear: “You are the most important individual. Use every resource available. We’re here for you. Come with us, connect, and blossom like a flower.”

April Echauri: Rediscovering Sisterhood in Recovery

Five years ago, April Echauri walked into the doors of the Everett Recovery Café. She had just been evicted and caught in a 20-year cycle of active addiction. “I wandered in because I had nowhere else left to go,” she recalls. “But that was the beginning of my recovery.”

Through the support of the Café and a long-term coaching relationship through the CCAR model, April found not only sobriety, but a calling. “I worked with a coach for 18 months. One of my goals was to get employed again—and I realized I wanted to become a recovery coach myself.” She joined the coaching team, began working on the floor as a specialist, and gradually stepped into leadership, now serving as Program Manager.

“You never think your worst life experiences would end up on your resume—but in this work, they’re your greatest qualifications,” she says. “Helping others who have walked the same path as me is an honor.”

For April, building a strong recovery community means centering people. “Everyone has value. It starts with giving everyone a voice at the table. When you really listen, you begin to understand what people need to heal—and how to move forward together.”

She’s deeply committed to DEI in hiring and community-building and believes recovery spaces must reflect the people they serve. “As a woman of color in a predominantly white area, I know how isolating it can be. But we too can succeed. We can recover, lead, and thrive—together.”

One of the most transformative parts of her journey has been rediscovering the power of sisterhood. “I didn’t used to think I needed other women to be successful. I never imagined I’d be part of women’s support groups, but here I am. That connection—that inner circle of women—has been essential to my recovery. There are no big ‘I’s and little ‘you’s in our circle. Just continuous unity.”

As she reflects on Women’s History Month, April offers a message of solidarity: “Keep up the fight. It’s easy to feel like we can’t make a difference. But there are so many women doing this work—and succeeding at it. We have to lean on each other. When you’re struggling, even if you’re in the minority, even if you have to reach outside your usual circles—just know you’re never alone. There are so many women in the world who want to see other women succeed.”

From Chicago, IL  to Everett,WA La Shaun and April are living testaments to the strength, compassion, and leadership of women in recovery. They remind us that healing isn’t linear—and it isn’t solitary. It’s a shared journey made possible by community, courage, and an unwavering belief in the possibility of change.

This Women’s History Month, we honor women such as La Shaun and April who are not just surviving—but building new paths for others to follow.