The topic of addiction brings with it a multitude of conflict. I believe there is no right answer on how those of us affected by it should handle it. The thing guiding me is a belief that everyone deserves that precious gift of love and connection, that feeling which ignites the humanness inside all of us. When someone loses that feeling, they may fill a lifetime with destructive behaviors attempting to find it.
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We all have a choice at how to respond to this drug epidemic. I have made mine: I exist to share the humanity of those struggling with addiction. I will be using the skill sets of my career in the video production industry with an incredible team of local professionals who have graciously volunteered their time to film and edit stories of those affected by addiction in the Dayton Region.
I decided to do a thorough search on social media to see who was already a part of the conversation and discovered Ryan Hampton, a nationally known recovery advocate. Ryan leads The Voices Project, which is a collection of stories from the many different kinds of people affected by addiction. The goal is to break the silence and change the way we talk about addiction.
Rather than duplicating efforts, I hoped these videos could come alongside Ryan in his current efforts. When I contacted him to explore the opportunity, I was ecstatic to hear he was all about it. We are committed to capturing and sharing stories from 26 people in the Dayton region who are affected by addiction. These stories seek to transform the way we look at addiction by sharing a unique perspective and powerful visuals that diverge from those we most often encounter.
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The videos will start airing in November on Ryan Hampton’s Facebook page @AddictionXAmerica and online at ryanhampton.org/voices. Go follow him now and read the amazing stories that have already been published. You can even submit your own.
Those interested in sharing their story on video as part of this campaign can contact Lauren@indigolifemedia.com.
Lauren White is co-owner of Indigo Life Media in Dayton.
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