‘You are worth it’: Futuro Latino Coalition gathers to stop overdoses - WHSV

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HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - According to the CDC, nearly 92,000 Americans lost their lives to overdose in 2020; 75% of those overdoses were caused by opioids.

The Futuro Latino Coalition in Harrisonburg came together on International Overdose Awareness Day, to remember those who lost their lives to substance abuse, raise awareness in the Latino community and spread positivity to James Madison University.

“It’s important to collaborate with different organizations, families, and students to learn about overdose and what we can do as community members to stop it,” Coalition Coordinator Onesimo Baltazar Corona said.

Community member, Lina Rosales, said it was important to remember that overdose can happen to anyone.

“You can have an overdose without being an addict and you can by just taking medication,” she said. “It’s important to be aware when you’re taking prescription medications.”

She added that the accessibility of drugs makes it more of a threat.

“We don’t know how many students are being opioids on the street and in schools, so it’s important to be educated and informed,” she added.

Corona added that the growing issues with mental health give drug awareness urgency.

“Everyone needs to know why it’s important to have these issues on the table and spread the words so others will know the signs,” he said.

While overdose has become more prevalent in the U.S., Corona noted that getting help can be more difficult for minority groups.

“In Latino communities, because they face these other additional barriers for example the economic barrier, the language barriers-of course- and the access,” he said. “It’s complicated.”

However, he believes everyone can get involved in putting a stop to overdoses.

“We don’t have to have big events or be experts to let people know about resources. If we share the information with 5 persons and they do the same and share with their network, I think that’s enough,” Corona said.

For one activity, participants wrote kind messages on rocks and distributed them around the Edith J. Carrier Arboreteum in hopes that the next person will relay the message to someone else.

Rosales had a special message for the person that saw hers.

“Tu lo vales.. You are worth it,” she said. “You are worth taking care of yourself. They are worth the change they want to do in their lives. Take care of yourself first so that you can take care of others and be happy.”

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