Converge Media's show We Live In Color presents a special episode on Wednesday in honor of Overdose Awareness Day. Host Deaunte Damper will welcome Malika Lamont and Brad Finegood to the Black Media Matters Studio to discuss the work they’re doing in the community around the issue.

Lamont is the Program Director for VOCAL-WA and Co-Director of WA State LEAD Expansion team, and she’s worked for over two decades to address the social determinants of health. Her work has been critical to these programs, which look to address the causes of addiction from the start.

Finegood is the Strategic Advisor for behavioral health with Public Health Seattle and King County. His work includes advocacy for individuals struggling with addiction, including working on ways to ensure those individuals have access to support services and safe areas.

“With August 31, being overdose Awareness Day, We Live In Color will take a deeper dive on how to advocate for our community members that may be dealing with overdose,” Damper said. “This is going to be a really impactful episode which I hope can spread awareness and inspire those who may be struggling.”

Damper will also be joined by Thea Wells and Leesa Manion. Wells works as a strategic advisor and will bring her expertise to the show to explain what individuals can do to help, while Manion is running for prosecuting attorney of King County. 

“This is important to us because we know overdoses impact individuals across the county, and especially in our community,” Converge Media CEO Omari Salisbury said. “It’s important that we use our platform to spread awareness and to help those impacted.”

This show will feature a broad look at the things being done in the community to help those struggling with addiction and to cut down on the number of overdoses. It’s also a personal episode for Damper, who told his own story of addiction here.

You can catch the episode Wednesday at 8:00 PM live on all Converge Media platforms.

If you or someone you know is battling addiction, here are some resources for support.

https://kingcounty.gov/depts/community-human-services/mental-health-substance-abuse.aspx

https://www.crisisconnections.org/wa-recovery-help-line/

http://vocal-wa.org/

https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/overdose-prevention.aspx