By Robert Miranda
MILWAUKEE — Working in collaboration with Rafael Mercado, Top Quality Services, LTD. and Pastor Marty Calderone of God’s Touch Milwaukee, Supervisor Peggy West created MKE HEROIN DIARIES to raise awareness of overdoses due to opioids, heroin and prescription pill usage throughout Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
MKE HEROIN DIARIES teamed up with church groups, private businesses and non-profits to form the organization which organized a march last weekend.
Participants marched along Lincoln Ave. in the Lincoln Village neighborhood on the south side to encourage people to speak up about the drug problem and draw support from each other.
“We need to get our voices out there, get them together and be a support to each other. Find resources, get resources if they’re not out there and to work together to legislatively make a difference,” said Supervisor West.
The march started from Walgreen’s on 24th & Forest Home and held a rally at the Lincoln Play Yard on 3rd & Lincoln Avenue across from the 2nd District Police Station.
According to a press release issued by West, “The route was chosen upon speaking with local community networks who highlighted several key points: how Walgreens is doing its part in the war on prescription drug abuse; how 4 out of 5 heroin users began their addiction while using prescription pills; and how the culmination of the march at the police station represented a symbolic plea for community members to engage with the police in this war on opioids”.
West, whose nephew died from a drug overdose, is also encouraging people to work with law enforcement. West says five town halls are scheduled throughout Milwaukee County to educate and share resources.
Supervisor West herself suffered a loss to the epidemic when, in December 2013, her 28 year old nephew died of an overdose.
Rafael Mercado, who recently lost a cousin and has had a number close friends die from overdose stated, “it’s time to create a movement that addresses the failure of a system that allows big pharmaceutical companies to dump massive amounts of opioids in our neighborhoods through retail chains like Walgreens”.
Mercado also stated that the community needs to run heroin pushers out of the neighborhood once and for all.