Drug Poisoning and the Pandemic

Kate – Miracle baby

Kate shares about her brothers daughter being born after he had died

Kristal – Harm Reduction

Kristal speaks to the importance of harm reduction and how it can save lives. She discusses how accessing harm reduction leads to the creation of connections with community support. It allows community outreach members to connect with community members and get to know them, and to know to look for them if they don’t see them when they usually do.

Kristal – Anger with Grief

Kristal discusses finding ways to channel her anger due to poor policy leading to deaths from drug poisoning and those individuals not having the support they needed. She discusses how human beings have the right to be flawed and should have the ability to grow, heal, and change.

Kate – Stigma

Kate discusses how difficult the stigma is to deal with

Kate – Getting support

Kate talks about how difficult it is to ask for support

Kate – Triggers

Kate discusses how she deals with her emotions when something triggers her grief

Christian – COVID amplified the inequities in society

Christian talks about those that have very little and how COVID amplified their difficulties

Joyce -The pandemics impact on drug poisonings

Joyce talks about drug poisonings during the pandemic

Nicole – Pandemic’s Effect on Safe Spaces and Mental Health Access

Nicole discusses how the pandemic affected access to safe spaces and shelters for those living rough and living with addiction.

Christian – Autonomy for the homeless

Christian discusses those who are unhoused and how they want a space that is theirs and how we need to take that seriously especially when it comes to grief

Christian – My process in grieving

Christian explains his grieving process and how it’s important to let people in, the power of community, and having a team that makes him feel loved and cared for

Kate – Things I do that help

Kate talks about how art, hiking and visiting the cemetery can be very therapeutic