Coming Together Beyond Labels
Many Voices - One Movement
In conversations across our communities, we often hear harm reduction and recovery spoken about as though they are opposites - two camps pitted against each other. Too often, we hear that only people with a certain kind of lived experience “belong” at certain tables, while others are left out. These divides can be painful - and dangerous - because they keep us from building the systemic change we urgently need. And for that, we need all of us.
Every person who cares about change - whether they come from recovery, harm reduction, treatment, prevention, or advocacy - has something essential to offer. None of us sees the whole picture alone, but together, we can.
At VAMHAR, we believe it’s time to move beyond either/or thinking. We need more voices, not fewer. We need to sit together, even when we come from different paths. And we need to honor the truth that prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery are not enemies - they are partners.
The Weight of Words
The word recovery carries deep meaning for many people. For others, it feels loaded or exclusive, implying that there is only one right path, or that some voices don’t count. At the same time, harm reduction is often misunderstood by many who haven’t had the chance to see its heart: the simple belief that every life is worthy, every step matters, and no one should be abandoned.
Both have the same hope at its core: healthier, safer lives and stronger communities.
Building a Bigger Table
Our systems are complex, our challenges systemic, and our needs urgent. We cannot afford to fracture ourselves into silos of “us versus them.” Recovery and harm reduction are not opposites—they are partners. Both invite us to honor human dignity, to believe in possibility, and to keep people alive long enough to thrive.
It’s time to build a bigger table. A table where:
People in abstinence-based recovery sit beside people who use safer supply.
Families who have lost loved ones sit beside those still fighting to keep theirs alive.
Professionals, peers, and policymakers bring their different strengths without diminishing one another.
No single perspective is enough. Together, they form a tapestry strong enough to hold us all.
A Call Forward
We don’t need fewer voices. We need more. More listening, more compassion, and more courage to see past the labels. Our work is not about winning a debate—it is about saving lives and building connections that last.
As we move forward, let’s choose to lean into collaboration, not division. Let’s hold space for all experiences, all pathways, and all people. Because only together can we create the systemic changes our communities need and deserve. Let us heal the divide by recognizing that we have many voices in this one movement.
Join the Conversation
We invite you to share your perspective. What does it look like to build a bigger table in your community? Send us a message!