An overdose prevention worker on Narcan, youth, and Colfax Ave.
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An overdose prevention worker in Denver explains what the job actually involves, why it is aimed at young people, and how the neighbourhoods she grew up in have changed. Filmed on the street, mid-shift.
She works for an organisation doing overdose prevention: administering Narcan and getting it to people who might need it. The reach is wider than an emergency response. “We go into schools and into hospitals, and we talk to students and people about preventative measures and harm reduction, and things to improve their mental health.”
On whether it is growing: “For sure. Substance misuse is a growing issue for literally all walks of life, no matter how old you are these days. It’s definitely affecting everybody.” The focus is deliberate. They work with youth.
Asked whether Denver has got better or worse, she does not hesitate. “I think it’s gotten worse. I don’t see a lot of people, if that makes sense, like I used to see, especially with diversity. A lot of people are moving out of Denver, and my neighbourhoods, at least the ones I grew up in, are getting gentrified a lot.”
Then Colfax Avenue, which she has a whole vocabulary for. “Me and my family, when I was growing up, we referred to Colfax as literally the street you don’t want to end up on. Drugs, prostitutes, people just staying around, things closing, construction all the time.” And a second, more affectionate reading: “To me I consider Colfax the New York of Denver. It’s pretty fast-paced. There’s stuff to do on every block, depending on who you are.”
She does not want a social media shout-out. “I hardly use social media. I like craft all this stuff and then I don’t even use it.” She shouts out the organisation instead.