real people. real stories.

Trigger warning: this page contains references to themes of substance use, opioid toxicity, substance-related harms, pregnancy and childbirth, mental illness, sexual assault, abuse, injury, intergenerational trauma, and racism, which may be upsetting for some individuals.

Note about language: The stories shared through Empowered Voices reflect each person’s unique voice and lived/living experience, including the language they choose to describe themselves and their journeys. We respect and honour that choice. At the same time, we acknowledge that some commonly used terms related to substance use, such as “addict,” “clean,” or “sober” can be experienced as stigmatizing or rooted in perspectives that frame drug use as inherently negative or in need of fixing. While these terms may feel natural to some speakers, they are not the only ways to talk about these experiences. We also offer alternatives like “people who use drugs,” “substance use,” “not using,” and “use drugs.” Our goal is not to prescribe how people should speak about their own lives, but to learn how stigma and barriers to care influence health inequities and substance use, and to support a broader understanding of well-being that recognizes people’s strengths, contexts, and diverse pathways.