Nikki is a mother and an outspoken advocate for people experiencing homelessness who use substances. She also lost her home in a fire and her young son to a shooting. Nikki is trying to get back on her feet but still uses substances to dull her pain from losing her son. When Nikki is stigmatized for substance use, she feels her loss all over again. Before she was homeless, it was easy—now it’s hard to get help, walk down the street, or even get medical attention. As she says, “People don’t see me anymore.”

“You go from being friends with people to not knowing them anymore because they don’t want you around. You lose your own family because they are embarrassed. You lose everything.” – Nikki