Moses Lake Community Hosts Rally Against Drugs, Confronting Opioid Crisis – May 9, 2023

Moses Lake Community Hosts Rally Against Drugs, Confronting Opioid Crisis

Story and photos by Blaire Russell, Communications Officer

Blood Tribe Communications & Community Engagement

On May 8^th, 2023, members of the Moses Lake community held a Rally Against Drugs event to speak out against drug use and trafficking on the Blood Reserve. This follows a declaration of a State of Emergency against the opioid crisis by the Blood Tribe Chief and Council on April 17, 2023. The State of Emergency was prompted by the staggering number of drug poisonings and deaths experienced by the deadly opioids, usually mixed with other lethal substances.

The event was organized by the Moses Lake Community Committee and attended by close to one hundred community members with support from Blood Tribe Chief and Council members Floyd Big Head, Clarence Black Water, Tony Delaney, Richard Red Crow, Maria Russell, and Marcel Weasel Head. The rally was attended by members of the Blood Tribe Police Service and Blood Tribe Emergency Medical Services.

The event also had support from Dr. Esther Tailfeathers, a strong proponent in the battle against the opioid crisis. Dr Tailfeathers stated, “We fight [the opioid crisis] but it’s a really tough struggle because it’s bigger than us, it’s much bigger than us. We have to work together, and we have to be careful how we treat people with addictions because all of us have someone we love that has an addiction.”

Blackfoot and Sámi filmmaker, actor, and producer Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers was also in attendance at the rally. Tailfeathers directed the documentary Kímmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy (2021), which centers the opioid crisis on the Blood Tribe and its drastic effects on our Nation. The award-winning documentary showcases the efforts of Blood Tribe community members, first responders and medical professionals as they strive for harm reduction through the battle against the opioid crisis. The film can be viewed on the National Film Board website.

Community leaders and Blood Tribe Council members shared words of encouragement and support to those that showed up to the rally. Blood Tribe council member Richard Red Crow stated, “Let’s take back our community” and thanked the community for supporting the Rally Against Drugs initiative and announced these rallies will continue in all other Blood Tribe communities. The next Rally Against Drugs event will happen Wednesday, May 10, 2023, in the Standoff Townsite community, further details to be announced.