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Addiction Is Not a Crime

All families matter.

I remember the day I found out my father was a heroin user. My stomach turned as a friend told me that the spoon, cotton and lighter were for heroin use. My dad was a loving, funny, happy man; as a welder he provided well for our family. Having only daughters, he taught us how to fish, how to change a tire and the oil in our car. We grew up happy, with nice clothes, warm food and plenty to laugh about. He lived trying to juggle the needs of his family and the needs of his addiction.

Over the years, I have learned that this is a common reality of my beautiful state, the side that you don't get to see or hear about but everyone knows exists. I've learned that substance use is so often the survival kit for the sexually violated, the poor, profiled, abused and wrongfully criminalized. When I talk about my father as a user, I can see the look in people's faces, the judgment that they carry. I only know him as my daddy, who raised me and loved me.

New Mexico is plagued with this dis-ease—our communities in turmoil, families wanting and hoping for a cure but left with nothing more than long stints in jail, criminalization of our loved ones and hatred toward those that we call family. This is why I share my story. We are families living through the dis-ease of addiction. We survive, we thrive, we live among you. Addicts are family. Most of you love one, have tried to help one, but most of us don't carry the tools we need to treat this illness.

Growing up in New Mexico has been a beautiful experience for me—our sky, our mountains, the earth and gente which compose our brown landscape. New Mexico's history of resistance runs deep. As a people we have resisted oppressive systems, unwarranted development, the extraction of our land, water and culture. Young Women United believes our stories are resistance and need to be heard. Our elected officials need to hear them so they know that we are New Mexico, we want what's best for our gente and we don't believe in making criminals out of people that are in need of healing. Find out more at youngwomenunited.org or (505) 831-8930.