The New Mexico Youth Summit on Opioid Awareness:
On Wednesday, March 6, nearly 3,500 New Mexican youth gathered at the Santa Ana Star Center for the New Mexico Youth Summit on Opioid Awareness.
The summit featured emotional presentations by local family members as well as youth in recovery speakers about the realities associated with drug use and abuse. Additionally, uplifting spoken word, dance and musical performances by Zavier Thompson, Holy Faith B-MC Boys and African Acrobats Tinafan, and New Mexico native and recent winner of “The Voice” Chevel Shepherd electrified the audience.
The 3 hour program was designed to educate, inspire and engage area youth to be part of the solution to the opioid epidemic. The Summit was hosted by KOAT Action News 7 Co-Anchor, Todd Kurtz, Bev Rainey of Big 107.9 WBQI-FM and Jaime Arteaga, on-air reporter with Telemundo 2 KASA. The cornerstone of the summit was the movie, “If Only.” Additional highlights included educational and compelling presentations from Jim Wahlberg, Albuquerque Area Indian Health Services Chief Medical Officer Dr. Julianna J. Reece, parent survivor and Serenity Mesa Youth Recovery Center Executive Director Jennifer Weiss-Burke, and ultimate fighting champion Court McGee, among many other local advocates, government officials and celebrities.
KOAT Action News 7, Telemundo 2 KASA and iHeart Radio served as the Summit’s media partners.
