Kim-Tenorio leads 2nd Annual Walk for Recovery

Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio poses for a group photo with CNMI Drug Court team, Drug Court participants, family members, and community members at the start of the second Annual Walk for Recovery at the Minachom Atdao pavilion in Susupe Friday afternoon. (FERDIE DE LA TORRE)

Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio and Drug Court manager TaAnn Kabua-Demapan led the 2nd Annual Walk for Recovery along Beach Road last Friday afternoon as part of activities lined up for CNMI Drug Court Month.

In a short ceremony before the walk, Kabua-Demapan said the community is now seeing the positive effects of what the CNMI Drug Court has done less than two years after it was started.

Cadets from the departments of Public Safety and of Corrections and CNMI Court marshals joined others at the walk—people in recovery from drug addiction, Drug Court team, family members, and community members. The walk started from the Minachom Atdao Pavilion in Susupe toward Quartermaster, and back to the Minachom Atdao.

Kim-Tenorio said the purpose of the Walk For Recovery is to bring together people who are in recovery and those who are supporting them.

Kim-Tenorio said the event is also for community partners and members who are either interested in learning about recovery or who believe in recovery and want to support the Drug Court program.

“In the walk, we’re able to reflect and speak with other folks in recovery or family members,” she said. “Just look at beautiful views and think about how recovery is helping our family, how drug addiction has destroyed our family, and how we can move forward from there.”

The judge said she is very happy with the outcome of the event, which is the road to recovery for the participants of the Drug Court program.

Kim-Tenorio said it is more than just a walk; it is also a walk for recovery.

For many Drug Court participants, they were using illegal drugs, committing crimes, and being active with the drug use just weeks or months ago. “But today they are here, they are sober, they are working on their sobriety. So it is a whole new life. It is something that they have not done in a long time or may be ever. So it is something very positive and helps them toward their recovery.”

Kim-Tenorio, who handles the CNMI Drug Court, recently disclosed that the program is only one year and four months old, but it is growing as it currently has 44 participants, a couple more are joining, and about 17 are on the waiting list.

Two graduated from the program and that three or four participants are expected to graduate this May 24.