Mélodie Talbot is a community organizer at Quebec Association for Drug Users Health Promotion in Montreal, Quebec (Canada). It is a peer led organization that publishes harm reduction tools and organize drug users rights advocacy events.

The project on what the session would be based off:
Since the Overdose crisis, we knew we needed to do something about our communities grief. I developed a by and for people who use drugs grief discussion groups for people who have lost loved ones by overdose or after suffering from consequences of the drug war like suicide, blood infections and more.

Why am I qualified and the best person to do this at HRI 2023?
I myself use to be a drug user, I lived on the streets and I’ve lost many friends by overdose and I still do. It’s peer work, but with grief. Being an ex-drug user that has herself done this project, would give a great example to others, to show them that they can also to grief discussion workshops in their community.

What goes on while Grief discussion groups?
It’s important to care about the people that are still here so it was important for me to ask people to say their names/nicknames and pronouns and the first question is ‘’How are you?’’ It may seem simple but it’s such an important question. We have different themes around grief. Mainly the subjects would be about how people feel about losing people by overdoses. How can we go on when we’ve lost so many friends tragically? How is the overdose crisis going in your country?
We are there to support our peers that are grieving like we are. We’re here to listen.
What you hope the audience will contribute?
It is my goal to do a grief discussion groups at HRI 2023 so the people that are present can have an example of what they can do themselves. It will be a privilege for us to have the unique chance to talk about overdoses and grief with people from all over the globe.