Yesterday I gave a presentation to graduate students, and one of them made a comment that struck me. She mentioned that her family was deeply impacted by addiction as well as death from overdose, and my presentation made her wonder, “How many more do we have to lose before we stop ignoring what’s happening?” Ignoring these problems won’t solve them, and neither will doubling down on strategies that have proven to be ineffective or make matters worse.
We can pursue solutions now that help more people stay alive and have an opportunity to build a thriving life.
Last year these solutions gained momentum, in large part because so many of YOU made the movement your own. You shared the message, invited us to speak, and connected us with many of the opportunities below. Thank you!
End It For Good – 2022 by the numbers:
- 6 opinion articles in local, statewide, and national publications
- 7 Community Discussion dinner events with over 300 attendees
- 32 speaking engagements to 8,000 people
- 48 interviews reaching 300,000 people
A team of five can’t accomplish all of that on our own. The awesome network of advocates made up of YOU and many others are what makes the magic happen!
Looking Forward to 2023:
- Fentanyl Testing Strips – We hope to see these become available in Mississippi, so people who use a drug can know if it contains fentanyl, a high-potency opioid.
- Community Discussion dinners – We’ll be hosting several of these around Mississippi this summer. Stay tuned for dates and locations!
- Drug Policy Summit – In November we’ll host a day-long Drug Policy Summit in Jackson, MS. You can see the highlights of our previous summit here.
- Book Release – My memoir focusing on my journey from an unconventional childhood to founding End It For Good. I can’t wait for you to read it!
- Digital expansion – A lot of our work has happened face-to-face, person-to-person through events over the last 4 years. This year we’ll significantly expand our digital platforms and content. If you’re not already engaging with us on social media, we’re @EndItForGoodMS and @ChristinaBDent. Come on over!