For the last year, University of Paris-Est Professor Elsa Vivant has conducted an ethnographic study of the human impact of the opioid crisis in Boston area. As many know, six people die in the state of Massachusetts daily due to complications with opioid addiction. This is only a fragment of the total impact of opioids and of other substances on our communities. Framed as a public health emergency, the opioid crisis also appears as a spatial issue.  This questions the right to the city for a vulnerable population and the role of urban planning and design in responding to addiction.

This session will be a collaborative learning session where Elsa will share reflections from her study as a way for all of us to learn and explore how urban planning and design contribute in ending stigma, welcoming substance users and progressing a healthier city.

Refreshments will be served.

Recent news stories about the opioid epidemic in Boston: 

WBUR Series: https://www.wbur.org/tag/opioid-addiction-crisis