Introducing Our New Community Education Series to Prepare for #HarmRed20

Join us for The 2020 National Harm Reduction Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the only national multidisciplinary conference focused entirely on improving the health and valuing the voices of people who use drugs. Join over 2,000 people from around the country and abroad who will convene to learn directly from people who use drugs as well as harm reduction and policy experts about innovative harm reduction strategies and progressive drug policy. 

We're taking our role as host in Puerto Rico very seriously.

To support our future #harmred20 attendees in being responsible guests in Puerto Rico, we'll be offering a monthly learning series that covers topics including:

• A brief history of Puerto Rico
• Harm reduction history and current programs in Puerto Rico
• Language justice and Spanish language tips
• Food & music
• Colonialism and the impact on present-day Puerto Rico (and beyond)
• Natural environment & emergency preparedness
• The broader Puerto Rican diaspora 
• Puerto Rican movement leaders 
• Suggestions for responsible tourism to support local economy 
• Support and education for people who use drugs who attend our conference
• And more!

Our Request for Your Participation

Key Objectives for The 2020 National Harm Reduction Conference:

• Providing safe spaces for the exchange of ideas and cutting-edge practices that reduce harms associated with drug use

• Creating networking opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds committed to dismantling the racialized policies that underwrite and perpetuate oppression

• Challenging stigmatizing narratives about people who use drugs by supporting their leadership development and exposing social inequities driven by structural violence and discrimination

Countdown to ID change

Abstract Deadline Approaching

The National Harm Reduction Conference honors a participatory planning process. At each conference, the program is abstract-driven to address the most important issues and most innovative solutions in harm reduction at the time. Proposals are submitted by conference attendees, who together represent the varied aspects of harm reduction work in the US and abroad. Harm Reduction Coalition is currently seeking abstracts for the 2020 national conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

We encourage submissions that represent all aspects of harm reduction work from grassroots organizing and programming to policy and research.

Conference Spotlight: The Research Hub

We’re trying something new! Research can be an important tool for advocacy and policy change, and we’re committed to making some dedicated space to learn more about new data and approaches to doing community-based research. And, we know that there are many opportunities to improve best practices for responsible, ethical research in the harm reduction community!

We’re creating a new track and space at the conference dedicated to shorter presentations on best practices, conversations between researchers and people who use drugs about best practices for ethical research, and networking space to talk through new projects and ideas. 

Are you interested in presenting your research or experience with research in a shorter 25-minute slot for a Ted-talk style format? Consider applying to the new research hub track! You’ll have dedicated space to share, participate in Q&A, and won’t be competing with all of the other tracks in the general program. You can include one to three people present on key findings (data, process, experience) related to research projects to share key takeaways for the harm reduction movement in an auditorium presentation format (15 minutes for presentation + 10 minutes Q&A). Presentations will be reviewed separately from the full program abstract process and you may be informed of your acceptance at an earlier date. 

Add to Your Playlist

Upcoming Deadlines 

Abstract Deadline: March 2nd

Scholarship Deadline: May 1st

Late Breaker Abstract Deadline: May 11th

Early Bird Registration: July 1st

Hotel Booking Deadline: September 18th

REAL ID in effect: October 1st