The Canadian Museum For Human Rights is shown in Winnipeg on September 18, 2014. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods)
WINNIPEG — The Canadian Museum for Human Rights will host a free public event this Saturday, August 31 in honour of Overdose Awareness Day.
The event aims to raise awareness and foster dialogue about the overdose crisis, featuring personal stories and community engagement.
Arlene Last-Kolb and Janis Gillam, who both lost children to overdose, will be at the CMHR to share their experiences and promote their art installation, Gone Too Soon, currently displayed in the museum’s community corridor. The display includes purple poppies adorned with messages of loss, longing, and hope, reflecting the impact of overdose on families and communities.
Through their work, Last-Kolb and Gillam advocate for the destigmatization of drug use, framing it as a public health issue rather than a moral failing. They support harm reduction methods that protect human rights and dignity. During the event, they will guide participants in creating their own poppies to honor loved ones lost to a poisoned drug supply.
Manitoba Harm Reduction will also be present, offering training on administering naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.
The event is open to all from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
