My name is Rayce Samuelson, and I am a Bloomberg Fellow and an overdose prevention specialist with OnPoint NYC. I entered this field for deeply personal reasons—after losing a close friend to a fentanyl overdose in 2019, I sought a way to channel my grief and began working at a needle exchange program. That experience showed me how many lives could be saved if people had access to judgment-free spaces where they could safely use drugs, learn harm-reduction strategies, and connect with effective treatment. After writing my undergraduate thesis on harm reduction, I joined OnPoint NYC as we opened the first sanctioned overdose prevention center in the United States, located in East Harlem. Despite pressure from protesters and concerns from some media outlets about potential increases in crime, I am proud that we pushed forward. Simply opening the center set an important precedent, and our work has become a model for organizations nationwide. In our very first week, we reversed more than a dozen overdoses. I am now pursuing a Master of Public Health through the Bloomberg Fellows program because I believe the connections and knowledge I gain will help me—and my organization—continue to make a meaningful difference in the ongoing national overdose crisis. We owe it to our communities, to our loved ones, and to ourselves to keep pushing forward, because no one should lose someone they love when public health solutions exist that can save lives.
