January 18, 2021
Guest Submission
As an individual focused on drug policy and the justice-system in a highly conservative state, I thought rhetoric would not surprise me, but I was wrong. I have surrounded myself with social workers, harm reductionists, and like-minded advocates for almost five years. It was not until January 6
th, 2021 that the reality of how drastically different my comfortable bubble is compared to the ideological positions held by some Texans at this point in time. With nearly a month invested into this internship, amid an increasing overdose crisis, a national movement reinforcing that Black Lives Matter, a global pandemic, and after an attempted coup at the U.S. Capitol, I would like to acknowledge