Fentanyl Addiction and Recovery
President Biden signed Senator Rick Scott’s bipartisan End Fentanyl Act into law last week to combat the opioid epidemic. The law requires Border Protection to review and update its inspection policies to root out drug smuggling at the border. Fentanyl is on the radar of Central Florida law enforcement as well. Law enforcement officials in Volusia County issued a warning in Daytona Beach last week to spring breakers about the dangers of the opioid. Fentanyl is also showing up in other drugs. Bob Niczyporowicz is a 30-year veteran of the Drug Enforcement Administration. His son died from an opioid overdose in 2017. Niczyporowicz is working with Karen Chrapek, Executive Director of the Volusia Recovery Alliance, to save lives by stopping overdose deaths. They join Engage to share their experiences and solutions.
Racial Disparities in the Medical Field
The Florida Hospital Association projects a physician shortage of more than 35,000 by 2035. When it comes to doctors from under-represented groups, the problem is worse. A 2022 report from the Association of American Medical Colleges shows 6.9% of medical doctors identify as Hispanic and 5.7% identify as Black or African American. UCF medical student Hannah Wilson is a mentor with the Medical Enrichment for Diverse Students program that targets Orlando high schools with low-income students. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services just recognized her work by giving her the Excellence in Public Health Service Award. She joins Engage to talk about her efforts to increase representation.
Why Don't They Listen To Me? Women's Health Forum
A free women’s health forum is being held Thursday, March 28, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Solid Rock Community Church in Kissimmee called “Why Don’t They Listen To Me.” It addresses the unique challenges women of color face in health care. TheBlack Empowerment and Community Councilis one of the hosts. The President and Founder, Tiffany Jeffers, joins Engage to share how the upcoming open dialogue will address the challenges.
Tyler Gillespie Knows Florida Man
The “Florida Man” trope has become as ubiquitous to the identity of the Sunshine State as alligators and the house of mouse. Poet, teacher, and comedian Tyler Gillespie has chosen to embrace the irony of Florida Man worship. As a queer, fifth-generation Floridian, he carries the bona fides to both acknowledge the culture of his community and mock with affection rather than derision. Gillespie captures the essence of the caricature from the perspective of the state’s LGBTQ+ communities in Florida Man: Poems, Revisited, an updated re-release of his 2018 collection of poetry. He joins Engage to talk about his poetry and Florida Man.
