The Pittsburgh Recovery Walk is part of a larger movement to bring personal experiences with addiction into the public eye, and to help change the circumstances that stand in the way of recovery and wellness.
Just by participating in the Recovery Walk, you are an advocate. You are someone who shows up, speaks out, and makes change.
And you are not alone. Below is a partial list of groups and resources to help you connect with others and strengthen your advocacy skills.
Organizations
Faces and Voices of Recovery — national organization with tools and initiatives to mobilize recovery advocates across the country
International Overdose Awareness Day — an annual global campaign to grieve those we have lost and work toward preventing future overdose deaths
PRO-A — Pennsylvania’s statewide recovery advocacy organization
Recovery Advocacy Project — a national network connecting and supporting recovery advocates
Storytelling & Language Guidance
Addictionary — the Recovery Research Institute’s comprehensive guide to person-first, non-stigmatizing language around addiction and recovery
Advocacy With Anonymity — a practical guide to sharing your story publicly while honoring the anonymity traditions of 12-step fellowships
Guidelines on Personal Disclosure — a thoughtful and thorough exploration of what to consider before sharing your recovery story publicly, by William White, Bill Stauffer, and Danielle Tarino. Note: This link is currently unavailable — the original article was hosted on Chestnut.org and has been removed. You can search for the authors’ names alongside “personal safety and public recovery self-disclosure” to find copies of the paper.
Memo on Federal Terminology Related to Substance Use — a concise, clear reference for non-stigmatizing language, drawn from federal guidance
Overdose Crisis Style Guide — written for reporters, but essential reading for anyone communicating about addiction and recovery
Recovery Storytelling — a practical guide to crafting and sharing a powerful, positive recovery story for advocacy purposes
Hashtags
People are sharing recovery stories all over the internet. A word of caution: there is wide variety among these voices. Not everyone embraces all paths to recovery, and not everyone uses careful, non-stigmatizing language. But they are refusing to stay silent — and we think that matters. Here are a few hashtags to help you find and join the conversation.
#recoverychallenge
#recoveroutloud
#wedorecover
#recoveryposse