Stories of survival, cultural teachings, and a message of hope filled the University of Saskatchewan’s Prince Albert campus on Thursday as community members gathered to mark International Overdose Awareness Day.
The event, hosted with support from the Saskatchewan Health Authority and local partners, featured information booths, naloxone training and kits, and a free community lunch, while also centering the voices of those with lived experience.
Erica Bird spoke candidly about her journey of recovery and the trauma that addiction left on her and her children.
“I’m still continuing to work on myself through mental health and ceremony,” Bird said. “Without harm reduction, there would be a lot of different tragedies. It’s very helpful for our people.”
Bird credited her elders, addiction supports, and children with bringing purpose back into her life.
“My family, my NA group, my native worker—those things really brought a purpose back into my life,” she said. “I’m really dedicated to our ceremonies and making sure I show up, rain or shine.”
Her message for those in the crowd was simple: “Keep going. Get up and keep going. You’re not alone, even if you feel like it.”
An Elder’s guidance
Elder Marcel Lerat, from the Prince Albert Indian Métis Friendship Centre, opened the gathering with prayer and shared his story of overcoming addictions. He said the day was about showing compassion and creating connection.
“We need to show the people that are out there struggling that there are people who care,” Lerat said. “Some of us have lived on the streets. If they see people like us make a change, then so can they.”
For Lerat, ceremony provided a foundation.
“Ceremony brings you balance, like the roots of a tree. The stronger the roots, the stronger you stand in your struggles,” he said. “Smudging is very important; it helps clear your path.”
He also stressed that healing can take many forms.
“That’s part of the way. But we need to complete the whole picture together, as a community,” Lerat said.
A community commitment
Both speakers echoed a theme also raised by Indigenous leaders at the provincial level in recent weeks, that recovery cannot come from one approach alone but through a mix of cultural connection, harm reduction, and community support.
“We can’t conquer this alone,” Lerat told the crowd. “The only way we can is together as a community.”
International Overdose Awareness Day is observed worldwide each August 31 to honour those lost to overdose, end stigma, and highlight the importance of prevention.
Organizers in Prince Albert said Thursday’s campus event was about creating a safe space for remembrance, education, and encouragement.
