Show Me Your Friends, and I’ll Tell You Who You Are

Picture this: Four people sitting around a dinner table. Two have been to rehab to reclaim their lives. One battled addiction through sheer willpower. Another has survived trauma and depression and now spends her life helping others heal. On the surface, we were just a group of people sharing a meal, but in reality, we were engaging in one of the most powerful, necessary, and overdue conversations—one about addiction, mental health, resilience, and healing.

There was no judgment at that table. Only curiosity, empathy, and a deep hunger for truth. It was the closest I’ve ever been to the kind of society I dream of—one where conversations about addiction and mental health are met with openness instead of stigma, where people listen to understand instead of waiting to respond, where we hold space for one another’s pain and triumphs without shame.

This is why I founded Mwangaza Wa Sunday, a web-based addiction recovery and mental health management platform that seeks to normalize these conversations, equipping addicts, alcoholics, and their support systems with psychosocial education. We aim to promote awareness, connect people with treatment, and break stigma. And this night was a reminder of how powerful that mission truly is.

CONNECTING THE DOTS

At the table with me was Jeremy Makundi, founder of Flip the Script, a platform dedicated to promoting sobriety and a commitment to personal growth. Then there was Mary “Ciiru” Kinete, a childhood trauma coach and mental health advocate, committed to fostering healthy relationships and authentic living. And finally, Dean Karemera, a journalist and communications professional from Rwanda, a proud recovering alcoholic, and a mental health champion.

Before this night, none of them had ever met. I brought them together, excited by the possibility of honest sharing and connection. And, wow—what a conversation it turned out to be. Difficult topics were handled with ease, humor softened the edges of hard truths, and every voice was heard. We weren’t talking over one another. We were listening—truly, deeply listening.

By the end of the night, we left the table feeling seen, heard, and, most importantly, understood. What started as a dinner turned into the birth of a support group, fittingly named The Chili Tribe—because one of us makes organic chili, and we, well, bring the heat to the toughest topics.

IMPACTFUL TAKEAWAYS

• Strangers can become the support system you never knew you needed.

• Healing is communal—when we share, we grow.

• The world needs more safe spaces where people can speak their truth without fear.

CALL TO ACTION

Imagine if we all made a conscious effort to have more conversations like this. Imagine if we chose to listen, to affirm, to hold space for one another. The world needs more Chili Tribes—more people willing to make difficult discussions feel natural, to strip away shame and replace it with connection.

So, who’s sitting at your table? And more importantly, what conversations are you having?