Courageous Voices Rise Up!

A message from Maria Coutant Skinner, LCSW, President & CEO

April 30,2025

Dear friends;

I’m writing to you from Bogota, Colombia, home of the 2025 International Harm Reduction Conference. The concept of harm reduction is important to define as it is often misunderstood or maligned. This way of walking alongside people without judgement or blame, believing that people have autonomy and agency over their lives and are worthy of compassion and respect without conditions is not a radical idea, it is simply about recognizing the humanity in each person we encounter.

The experience is astounding.

We’ve been discussing US policies related to the war on drugs where we’ve spent billions of dollars attempting to wrap our arms around the addiction crisis and have only served to incarcerate hundreds of thousands of people (mostly poor, disenfranchised, and people of color), amplify violence and stigma, and watch as more potent drugs come onto the market, claiming more precious lives. These punishing policies have global repercussions and have been an abject failure.

Rapid reductions in international medical services and supports and their impacts on global health, particularly to vulnerable and marginalized populations, are mentioned in every space. It’s brutally heartbreaking, and at the same time, the worldwide energy is inspiring. Representatives from every continent are discussing solutions to these issues with research, compassion, and courageous voices.

We are examining successful strategies and where we are seeing remarkable progress in reducing overdoses and increasing effective healthcare by enacting smart policies that value the individual identity and inherent potential in every life.

Last month I wrote about the manifestations of my anxiety. It was a very vulnerable exercise, exposing those parts of myself… I am aware of the risks involved and admit I had to think carefully before committing. Rather than judgment, shame, or blame, I was met with love and understanding. I felt seen by you, my community, and I felt the solidarity of many who related deeply to my experiences.

That’s harm reduction.

Harm reduction is recognizing the beautiful, complex humanity in each and every soul we encounter. It is advocating for policies that ensure health equity, access to life-saving medications, and funding that protects programs that care for one another. Please trust and believe that this is not wasteful spending. It is a message to our fellow humans that they are not expendable. It truly is a matter of life and death.

Emailing your legislators, sharing your stories, and even making a gift to your favorite nonprofits are meaningful ways to communicate solidarity.

We need this movement now more than ever. We need you.

With my most heartfelt thanks,

Maria Coutant Skinner, LCSW

President and CEO

Return to our Blog for more inspiring stories and insights.