Stories

At the core of the Unshame California campaign are the thousands of Californians impacted by substance use disorder. They are our parents, siblings, children, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. These are their stories.

Dec 6

Brittany Encourages People To Believe in Themselves

Brittany's on a recovery journey, learning to love herself the way she deserves.

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Nov 20

Melissa Helps Others Feel Welcomed

Melissa reminds us that it’s important to accept everyone we meet, including people who use substances.

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Oct 14

Tiana and Her Mom Rediscovered Their Closeness

Tiana's relationship with her mom has always been important to her.

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Oct 1

Danny Opens Up To Fight Stigma

There's always more than meets the eye with other people, and we need to make an effort to understand them deeply to help support them with

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Aug 29

Catherine Talks about Maximizing Human Potential through Harm Reduction

Catherine believes in the profound strength of the human spirit and knows that people can accomplish incredible things, no matter their circ

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Jul 11

Perla Celebrates Elijah's Life

"I don't just say it cause he's my boy but he was special," Perla reflects, "I've never met anyone as thoughtful as him."

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May 9

Katelyn Leads With Kindness

Nowadays, Katelyn's all about positivity—and she hopes to see the same from her community.

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Feb 26

Amber Opens Up About Dreason

Amber's son, Dreason, had the brightest smile, and he'd always light up the room.

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Jan 30

Danny Talks About How Addiction Can Happen to Anyone

Danny wants to honor Kathy's life and memory.

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Jan 4

Support & Acceptance Can Make All the Difference

Cassondra and Ryan are no strangers to experiencing stigma around their substance use disorder (SUD).

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Aug 1, 2023

Danny's Message: It's Okay to Talk About Addiction

Danny and his wife Kathy owned a gourmet grocery store in Sacramento together.

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Jun 11, 2023

Ken's Family's Support Made the Difference

Ken grew up in a family that believed that substance use disorder (SUD) was a personal weakness. It was viewed as a mark of shame, so it...

1 view

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Dec 201 min read

Recovery Journeys

Cameron Is Proud To Be Himself

His favorite part of recovery has been thriving in his own skin and living his values.

Sean Pays It Forward by Supporting Others

Sep 201 min read

Giving Back

Sean Pays It Forward by Supporting Others

Since deciding to learn more about himself and focus on his recovery, Sean has applied what he’s learned to help others.

Melissa Found Connection in Her Recovery

Sep 111 min read

Lived Experience

Melissa Found Connection in Her Recovery

When Melissa started pursuing her recovery, she found the community and support she'd been looking for through her relationship with God.

Dr. Christina is Changing her Community Through Education and Compassion

Dr. Christina talks about what she has learned about opioid use disorder (OUD) and medications that can treat OUD.

Bryant Talks About the Science of Addiction

Bryant shares how educating himself and those around him has helped reduce the stigma of blame.

Deanna Shares the Importance of Family

Journeying Toward Hope: Supporting Her Brother's Recovery from Opioid Use Disorder and Overcoming Stigma Together.

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