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The goal of this campaign, Hope Over Harm, is to sound the alarm around the large-scale public health crisis that is the Black overdose epidemic. Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities, Inc. seeks to empower New Yorkers living with substance use disorders to seek out care-centered resources that can help. The broader, long-term goal is to further the groundwork for a healthier, more empowered NYC, where individuals and families experience self-sufficiency, equity, and human justice. This hope is that Hope Over Harm serves as the start of a larger conversation regarding the importance of empathy-informed care and establishing a culture of healing that disrupts systemic harm.
Established in 1965, during the emergence of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, at a time when the fight for social justice and community activism was gaining traction on both local and national fronts, Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities, Inc. was formed by a group of concerned, local community members and activists in the East Elmhurst/Corona area of Queens, New York. These seemingly disparate factions― including members of the Black Panther Party―ultimately formed a coalition of like-minded individuals intent on identifying and addressing the core needs of their community. Their mission is to foster positive life changes in members of the community through skills development that leads to self-sufficiency, a sense of accountability, and a strong, empowered community.
