As we celebrate Pride this June, we must remember that it was birthed from the civil disobedience of brave people who risked their lives and livelihoods fighting injustice. We must also remember the ways that injustice against the LGBTQIA+ community persists to this day, and I strive through my work at SIG to ensure that my community is represented.
In my time at SIG, we’ve been able to work directly and intentionally toward addressing one piece of that inequality, which is the disproportionate risk that members of the LGBTQIA+ community face of a substance use disorder. Through the HEALing Communities Study, we worked with multiple counties on targeted outreach to the LGBTQIA+ community, including developing campaigns featuring them specifically and distributing them through already trusted organizations.
In Cortland County, where 40% of the LGBTQIA+ population was at risk of a substance use disorder, the HCS-Cortland Coalition partnered with the Cortland County LGBTQIA+ Center to create a targeted campaign, including LGBTQIA+ peer recovery advocates educational events, and sharing those materials especially with the Cortland County LGBTQIA+ audience.
This June, we have a great deal to celebrate, including the inspiring work of our HCS partners, but we also have a long way to go. It is our hope that our work at SIG and HCS can continue to contribute to this necessary progress.
