Full Article by Taylor Sisk; Photography by Stacy Kranitz | Mother Jones
If you’ve ever wondered what harm reduction actually looks like—not just as policy, but on the ground, in real people’s lives—this piece is it.
Mother Jones’ photo essay and story follow harm reduction work across Appalachia, including an in-depth look at SOAR WV’s community efforts in Charleston. From health fairs and naloxone trainings to karaoke nights and memorials, the piece shows the care, connection, and challenges of grassroots harm reduction work in vivid detail.
“It wasn’t all about giving out needles,” says one Charleston resident. “People don’t get that.”
— Mother Jones, quoting a participant from a SOAR outreach event
“That’s how I got the majority of my targeted testing done… I could go anywhere and say, ‘Hey, you need some supplies?’”
— Brooke Parker, SOAR board member
“SOAR runs Appalachia’s largest drug-user-led syringe-cleanup crew.”
— Joe Solomon, SOAR WV Co-Director
The piece also explores the impact of restrictions on syringe exchange, rising HIV diagnoses, and the human cost of criminalizing care. It’s full of intimate moments and hard truths—and it’s one of the most visually powerful portrayals of this work to date.
