OUR MOVEMENT IN MOTION
April 1, 2021

National Harm Reduction Coalition creates spaces for dialogue and action that help heal the harms caused by racialized drug policies.


News and Announcements

+ NEWS: Anti-Asian violence in Georgia — "The shootings of Asian massage workers in Georgia this month have been framed as part of a surge of anti-Asian violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. But they’re also part of a longstanding problem: the violence against and the surveillance of migrant massage workers. These women are vulnerable because of their race, their gender, their immigration status — and for the type of work they do." Follow this tweet thread ([link removed]) from @RedCanarySong to find out how to give directly to those impacted.
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+ NEWS: New York Legalizes Marijuana — Through the hard work of people impacted by prohibition, advocates and champion lawmakers, like Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Senator Liz Krueger, New York has taken bold action to chip away the remnants of the war on drugs.
We’re ushering in a new era of marijuana justice. The passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) will legalize marijuana for adult use, comprehensively address the harms of overcriminalization, and establish one of the most ambitious marijuana legalization programs in the nation.
Through this sweeping legislation, New York is delivering reforms that place community reinvestment, social equity, and justice at the core of the law."
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+ NEWS: New Mexico Legalizes Marijuana and Expunges Some Convictions as Well! — Two related pieces of legislation -- one which legalizes recreational cannabis for adults 21 and older in New Mexico and the second which expunges arrest and conviction records for some cannabis offenses -- are heading to the governor's desk after gaining lawmakers' approval.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham praised the bills, saying they would bolster the economy and help those who have been harmed by the "country's failed war on drugs."
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+ NEWS: We Know How George Floyd Died. It Wasn't From Drugs. — As the trial for the murder of George Floyd continues, Derek Chauvin has claimed an age-old racist trope in defense: Blame drugs. This op-ed from Dr. Carl Hart reminds us that Fentanyl did not kill George Floyd, Derek Chauvin and the Minneapolis Police Department did. In it, Hart writes: "We must not indulge [this racist myth] any longer. This legend is built on the dead and incarcerated bodies of countless black men. It has robbed too many Americans of justice, and indeed, of their lives." Black Lives Matter. 
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Emergent and Exciting Work

+ TRAINING: Overdose Prevention Training for the Deaf Community — Mark your calendars for this ASL Interpreted and Captioned Narcan/Overdose Prevention Training! Date: Thursday, April 8, 2021 Time: 6:00 PM EST Register: [link removed]

+ COVID CANCELLATION: DPA's Reform Conference on Pause —"Although vaccine availability has given us hope, even if travel resumes in the next few months, large gatherings may still put some of our most vulnerable allies at risk. We did not feel comfortable planning for an event where potentially only some of our community would be able to fully participate. Instead, we are excited at the possibility to bring people together when the time is right. We intend for our future Reform Conference to provide the same dynamic spaces and opportunities to be inspired, and to connect with and learn from each other." While we wait to be together again, join Drug Policy Alliance for their current Uprooting the Drug War series.
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+ WEBINAR: Injection Drug Use and Health Disparities among Puerto Ricans: Challenges and Implications for HCV Care & Elimination — Join HepCure for a webinar presented by Camila Gelpi-Acosta, PhD & Yesenia Aponte-Melendez, PhD, as they explore disparities faced by Puerto Ricans. April 6 (English), 13 abril (en Español) 4:30 pm EST. [link removed]

+ TRAINING:  Harm Reduction in Indigenous Communities — Friday, April 9th from 10 AM - 12 PM PDT. What does harm reduction look like in Indigenous communities? Harm reduction work is much more than syringe access programs, and many tribal communities do not have access to syringe service programs. In this presentation we will explore what it means to do harm reduction in tribal communities, models of Indigenous harm reduction, and promising practices. Facilitated by Annette Hubbard.
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The Policy Plug

+ RESOURCE: Are you or someone you know doing Harm Reduction work in one of these states? Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, or Wyoming? We want to connect with you! Our team is committed to offering capacity building and support for states that lack a legal framework for harm reduction programs. We'll be offering *paid* opportunities to chat with our team over the next several months. Fill out the survey and don’t forget to share with awesome Harm Reductionists in your network![link removed]

+ NEWS: Week of Action Wrap-Up — On behalf of all of us at National Harm Reduction Coalition, People’s Action, Drug Policy Alliance and VOCAL NY, we want to say thank you! Across our six diverse events, almost 1,000 attendees joined us for Week of Action. We invite you to join us in CELEBRATION of the incredible week by sharing about the Week of Action on your social media channels and using #HRWeekofAction. You’re welcome to craft your own post using our social media toolkit. [link removed]


#HarmRedNow

+ BLOG: Trans Day of Visibility — "We were hoping to wish our trans and non-binary siblings a happy Trans Day of Visibility today. But the mood is far from celebratory, given the renewed slew of political and legal attacks that are being waged on young, poor, Black, brown, Indigenous, and undocumented trans and non-binary communities across the so-called United States. We’re feeling a bit too visible these days, and yet even more thoroughly erased. So we decided to shift gears a bit, and offer some specific ways that allies can meaningfully uplift marginalized trans voices at every level of the movement." Read this blog post by Brooke Alexandria Paine, Program Assistant , and also trans and non-binary staff at National Harm Reduction Coalition. [link removed]

+ FOUNDATIONAL FRIDAYS: Remember that our Foundational Friday's series continues 4/2 at 12 noon EST with Sex Work 101! This 2 hour webinar focuses on the basics of sex work. We will review basic information about stigma facing people who engage in sex work and ways to provide relevant harm reduction messages. Webinar participants will learn how to better incorporate harm reduction skills focused on people who engage in sex work. You can find the most up to date details on our website calendar! [link removed]

Work for the Movement

+ Organizational Development Director — Do you want to end overdose and the harm caused by racialized drug policies? Do you want to work for a dynamic organization committed to promoting the health and dignity of individuals and communities who are affected by drug use?

The Director, Organizational Development Capacity Building role will work across teams at National Harm Reduction Coalition (NHRC) to lead the provision of services and externally-facing resources to support the creation of strong, sustainable, and resilient harm reduction organizations across the US.
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+ Drug Policy Alliance — Managing Director of Communications, Director of Finance & Accounting [link removed]

+ SisterSong — Communications Director, Program Director, Education & Advocacy Coordinator [link removed]

Hiring? Send us a note about open positions in harm reduction to [email protected] to have a job post shared here.



National Harm Reduction Coalition
243 Fifth Avenue
Box 529
New York, NY 10016
United States
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