To address the escalating opioid epidemic, particularly the surge of fentanyl-related incidents, the City of Avondale is stepping up with a targeted approach to engage its Spanish-speaking community. Avondale's ONE Campaign has set February 27 as the date for its Spanish-language Fentanyl Awareness Forum, according to the City of Avondale. The event, free and open to the public, is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Arizona Complete Health Avondale Resource Center, located at 995 E. Riley Dr., Avondale, AZ 85323.
As disclosed by a release on the City of Avondale's official website, this forum will feature Spanish presentations with English translations, featuring a panel of experts ready to tackle questions on this critical issue. Among the speakers is Ronny Morales, the founder of WESOBERNOW. Dulce Encinas, a lead clinician from Neighborhood Ministries, and Elizabeth Ramirez Torres, who carries the dual role of a Staff Sergeant in the Arizona Air National Guard Counterdrug Taskforce, all of whom bring a wealth of knowledge and dedication to this fight.
Understanding that it takes more than just words to combat such an endemic problem, the forum will also provide tangible resources. The first 75 attendees will receive a complimentary dinner, and perhaps more crucially, free Narcan distribution is slated—a life-saving measure that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Information about local support and community resources will also be on hand, giving attendees a clear path to help either themselves or those around them.
