Us Helping Us, People Into Living, Inc., a Black-led, LGBTQ+-affirming health organization in Washington, DC, developed a harm reduction and capacity-building model rooted in health equity to address the opioid crisis. While naloxone distribution remains vital, we go beyond it by centering legal literacy, reducing stigma, and community empowerment. Our work through the Bishop Rainey Cheeks Center of Excellence in Harm Reduction (RaCCE/HR) and the district’s opioid abatement initiative provides trainings and resources that prepare ordinary citizens to intervene in overdose situations and link individuals to long-term care.

Our approach integrates culturally affirming, community-rooted education strategies, including the Hip Hop 2 Prevent (H2P) school curriculum, a stigma-busting multimedia campaign, and hands-on training for faith-based and grassroots organizations. This model provides a replicable blueprint for building sustainable community responses to opioid use that shift the frame from crisis response to prevention, resilience, and recovery.