City of Long Beach to Host Youth-Led Opioid Awareness Showcase October 18

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PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) Harm Reduction Program, in partnership with Youth Leadership Institute (YLI), will host a Youth Opioid Awareness Showcase at the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library (5870 Atlantic Ave.) on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This free, all-ages event will center around the theme, Hear Us: Help Each Other and Redirect, and will focus on education, advocacy and youth-developed solutions to address the opioid crisis.

"Young people are leading the way in reshaping how we respond to the opioid epidemic - leading with courage, clear solutions and a commitment to ending stigma," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "Their input and leadership exhibited through this program have been an essential part of building a healthier, more equitable Long Beach for everyone."

The showcase will feature a presentation by seven youth participants from the Youth Opioid Awareness Campaign, who will share their artwork and discuss the creative process behind their projects. Original zines and a youth-led social media campaign, designed to inform and engage their peers, will also be featured. Attendees will have the opportunity to walk around and view the young people's artwork on display and engage with participating youth from the program. Residents are encouraged to register online, although registration is not required to attend.

This event is a culmination of the City's Youth Opioid Awareness Campaign, launched in March 2025 in response to the increasing number of opioid-related overdoses across Long Beach. Over the past seven months, youth participants have explored the impacts of opioids in their neighborhoods, led three focus groups to share youth perspectives, designed original zines blending storytelling with harm reduction strategies, and launched a social media campaign to raise awareness citywide, reaching approximately 35 Long Beach youth.

"Listening to youth perspectives provides us with critical insights that traditional approaches often miss," said Health and Human Services Director Alison King. "Their involvement shapes forward-thinking policies grounded in the lived experiences of those most impacted by the opioid crisis, enabling the development of sustainable, community-focused solutions."

Both the campaign and showcase were made possible by the California Opioid Settlements, a fund that was established to provide funds to cities and counties for the abatement of the opioid crisis in California. Additional information on the California Opioid Settlements is available at oag.ca.gov/opioids.

For more information, please visit longbeach.gov/harmreduction.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. More information about the Long Beach Health Department is available at longbeach.gov/health and on Instagram, Facebook and X.

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