On December 8, Kimberly Douglas of Bowie, Maryland, visited her son’s gravestone, Bryce, at National Harmony Memorial Park in Landover. Nearly 18 months had passed since she lost the 17-year-old to a fentanyl overdose, a tragedy that underscores the growing overdose crisis disproportionately affecting Black communities.
Douglas’ story was featured in an opinion piece for the Washington Informer by Tracie Gardner, Executive Director of the National Black Harm Reduction Network, and Daliah Heller, Vice President of Overdose Prevention Initiatives at Vital Strategies. They recounted the devastating moment when Douglas found her son unresponsive in their home. In her panic, she searched for naloxone—the medication that reverses overdoses—only to later discover it in Bryce’s pocket. He had it all along.
Over the past five years, overdoses have claimed nearly half a million lives in the U.S., but recent CDC data indicates a 17% decline in deaths from September 2023 to August 2024. However, disparities remain. While deaths among white populations have begun to stabilize or decline, Black and Indigenous communities continue to see rising overdose rates.
Gardner and Heller highlight how the opioid crisis has mainly been portrayed as a white issue, leaving many Black individuals uninformed about the risks of fentanyl and opioids. The normalization of drugs like Percocets and Lean in hip-hop culture further obscures the dangers.
Determined to turn her grief into action, Douglas launched Black Moms Against Overdose, a Facebook group dedicated to raising awareness and reducing stigma in Black communities. “There’s such a stigma in Black families when it comes to discussing substance use and mental health,” she said. “I want to educate others about what our children face and how we can save them.”
The authors stress that local governments must collaborate with Black community leaders to expand overdose prevention education and naloxone accessibility. Naloxone, available for free from most local health departments and many community organizations, is also sold over the counter in pharmacies. Quick administration can mean the difference between life and death.
In late March, a seven-city “Naloxone In Black” media campaign will launch to promote awareness and access to the life-saving medication. As the overdose crisis continues, advocates like Douglas, Gardner, and Heller are working to ensure that Black communities receive the resources and information needed to prevent further tragedies.
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