Navigating the Toxic Drug Crisis (w/ Guy Felicella)

Activist Guy Felicella will talk about his path from addiction to recovery in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, how you can approach those experiencing addiction with compassion and support those around you to stay safe during Toxic Drug Crisis.

About

Guy Felicella grew up in a middle-class home in British Columbia but due to trauma, undiagnosed ADHD and difficulty at home and school, he fell into addiction at a young age. Guy spent 30 years in the repeated cycle of gangs, addiction, treatment, and jail.

He spent nearly twenty years residing in a two-block radius in Vancouver’s notorious Downtown Eastside. Miraculously, with sheer determination and the help of others through harm reduction and recovery, Guy managed to survive the HIV/AIDS crisis in the DTES, two decades of being homeless, multiple life-threatening bone infections, and six drug overdoses.

Today, Guy has escaped the grips of the turmoil that kept him suffering and currently resides with his wife and three young children with over a decade of recovery and sobriety under his belt.

Guy is passionate about advocating for the vulnerable people who still suffer with addiction/mental health and is adamant about educating communities on the importance of a full spectrum of care from harm reduction to recovery and to eliminate the stigma that exists around drug addiction.

Guy is a sought-after International Public Speaker who shares his personal experience and expertise at conferences, seminars ad summits and TEDx Talks. Guy attends various school districts and post secondary institutions to educate students on drug addiction. Guy spent nearly his entire life suffering with addiction and is now using his experience to change the hearts and minds of people.

He cares deeply about giving back to the communities that helped him through his darkest times, and is focused on spreading his message of hope to those struggling, to young people, to families, and to the world.