A Letter from our Executive Director

NBHRN Family,

“They were resilient enough to live through a bunch of other epidemics—H.I.V., crack, Covid, multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis—only to be killed by fentanyl.” These were the words I shared recently in The New York Times, and they reflect an undeniable truth: the systems that claim to protect Black lives, while extracting money and talent from our communities, have failed us again and again. For older Black men, the fentanyl crisis is not a new tragedy but the continuation of decades of disregard for Black pain and survival.

We know this story all too well. Our communities have endured heroin in the ’70s, mass incarceration in the ’80s, and public health neglect in the ’90s—each era marked by systemic failures that targeted and devastated Black lives.

And yet, through it all, we have survived. But at the National Black Harm Reduction Network, survival isn’t enough. As the NBHRN's first Executive Director, I am proud that we are movement fighting for a future where harm reduction affirms the dignity, humanity, and potential of every Black life. In our inaugural year and moving forward, we are laying the groundwork for that future.  Please help ensure the foundation for the NBHRN is solid with your tax-deductible contribution.

To date NBHRN has:

• Elevated Black Voices: We’ve been a voice in the media to challenge public health blind spots, calling out the the unique ways in which Black communities have been harmed by policies of gthe last 50 years and have demanded culturally competent approaches to harm reduction..

• Built Power Through Knowledge: by launching initiatives like the Workforce Development and Mentorship Program, we are equipping Black harm reductionists to lead boldly and transform their communities from within.

• Stood Unapologetically Black: Through partnerships, advocacy, and action, we’ve fought for harm reduction that prioritizes prevention and care—not punishment and incarceration.

But family, let’s be real: the stakes for 2025 couldn’t be higher. Too many of our people are dying in full view of a system and leaders that refuse to act. And that’s why we must rise.

Black harm reduction is not just a policy or practice—it’s an act of love, resistance, and liberation. Your support fuels this network. A gift of $50 helps us provide naloxone and other overdose prevention trainings and $100 will support the development of public education materials for communities hard hit by overdose deaths. Make your tax-deductible contribution here: https://www.nbhrn.org/donate 

Every contribution, no matter the size, is an investment in the preservation and enhancement of Black lives and Black harm reduction infuses how it should be done.

We’ve survived too much, fought too hard, and come too far to stop now. As we close this year, I’m asking you to stand with us—to fight with us—as we move boldly into 2025. Together, we will thrive.

In solidarity,
Tracie M. Gardner
Executive Director, NBHRN